Fire and Rain
by missalex3030
Summary: Jennelle Rivers: bold, loyal, passionate Gryffindor. Jenn befriended Harry Potter in her first year, and has loathed Draco Malfoy, self-proclaimed Prince of Slytherin, ever since. But during her fifth year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, relationships will be tested and trust will be broken. Will Jenn's loyalties remain strong, or will everything change?
1. Chapter 1

*****Introducing...my new Draco Malfoy Story! I've had this written for a long time but I haven't had the courage to post it until now. I hope you all enjoy it, and I would love love LOVE feedback, so review, subscribe, favorite, whatever you feel like doing. Thanks so much for reading!*****

**Fire and Rain**

Chapter one

The pungent smell of gasoline filled the air as hundreds of magical families panted, hustling along the stone platform of King's Cross Station, each headed towards the same mysterious brick barrier. Children, escorted by their anxious and slightly out of place parents, forcibly pushed their trollies along while their belongings threatened to topple over at the slightest bump. From within their thin-wired cages, owls hooted with displeasure at the chaos of the station; cats hissed sassily in protest at their confinement; toads croaked indifferently.

Jennelle Rivers inhaled a deep breath of the polluted air and a white grin graced her beautiful face. Her sparkling green eyes surveyed the station as she pushed her own trolley with all her might, sending her ebony owl into a fit of attention drawing hoots. Jennelle pressed her short finger to her pale pink lips, silencing her pet as they neared the barrier to platform nine and three quarters.

"Bye mum, dad," the small brunette said as her loving parents pulled her into a tight, simultaneous hug.

"Please behave yourself this term, Jennelle, I beg of you," the girl's father, a handsome masculine man said, and Jennelle could hear the smirk in his lighthearted voice.

"Oh come off it. Don't act like you don't enjoy visiting Professor Dumbledore," she joked as she pulled herself from their warm embrace, the coarse hair of her father's goatee prickling her cheek.

"I only wish the visits were for a slightly more positive reason than to inform me that my darling daughter was involved in and, more likely than not, initiated yet another duel with a certain Slytherin bloke," her father raised his thick black eyebrow while she shrugged her slender shoulders, an innocent smile creeping onto her pretty pink lips as she stared up at him from beneath her thick black eyelashes.

"Honestly, Jenn, why's it so hard for you to ignore the little bugger?"

She glanced up at her older brother, his shaggy chocolate colored hair sticking up in random places, while he smirked tauntingly down at her. He locked his arms over his broad chest, showing off the bulging muscles he had obtained from playing professional quidditch for the past year as a star beater. Jennelle glared into his glistening topaz eyes that seemed to be laughing at her and pursed her lips together in a tight white line.

"Because he's a pompous pig and he knows exactly how to get under my skin," she growled, her fingers balling into fists at her sides. "Don't act like his mere existence doesn't irritate you, Noah."

He shrugged his broad shoulders and ran his thick fingers through his hair, ruffling the strands even more so out of place.

"I wasn't the one dueling with the bloke every other week," he argued, a wolfish grin playing on his lips. "There's an evident sort of _tension _between you two. If I didn't know any better I'd say you fancy the Malfoy boy."

"Don't make me laugh," Jenn scoffed, obviously scandalized, rolling her bright emerald eyes, her small nose wrinkling in disgust.

"My daughter…fancies a Malfoy? Never in a million years!" Jenn's dad howled, his dark eyes widening in horror.

"Hush, Daniel! Don't speak of such blasphemy!" her beautiful mother's sweet voice cried.

She smiled strikingly while her husband and son laughed loudly at Jenn's expense and the girl pointed her piercing stare at her gorgeous mother. Jessica Rivers' green eyes, nearly identical to those of her daughter's, twinkled as she continued to smile innocently at her, the wrinkles by her eye sockets becoming slightly noticeable. Jenn pushed her long waves, black as night, over her shoulders and locked her arms over her impressive bosom as it rose and fell heavily, her nostrils flaring with each breath.

"You can't joke about things concerning them in times like these," Jenn growled in warning. "Honestly, grow up and understand what's going on in the world around us."

"You're right, Jenn-Jenn," the girl's mother said solemnly.

"Yeah, we know what the Malfoy family is all about," her father said seriously.

"Which is why we aren't exactly fond of you being desperately in love with the devil spawn himself," Noah smiled, his white teeth sparkling against his tan skin.

"Exactly. We don't particularly desire a death eater joining our family any time soon," her father grinned as he winked his hazel eyes down at his wife.

"Nonetheless, love cannot be stopped, despite how vile the recipient may be," Jenn's mother said smiling down at her daughter, the meaningful tone she had used did not go unnoticed.

"You're all impossible. I'm leaving, now," Jenn grumbled, turning her back on her joyful family.

"See you for Christmas!" her mother shouted.

"Hey Jenn, why don't you bring Malfoy home for the holidays!" her dad bellowed, sending Noah into a fit of roaring laughter.

Jenn's cheeks burned scarlet in anger and humiliation as she stormed through the brick barrier, suddenly grateful that her dear brother had graduated the year before and would not be there to torment her for the entire train ride. Inhaling a deep, cleansing breath, she allowed her eyes to soften as they wandered platform nine and three-quarters, the platform she had come to know and love. She ran her black nails through her thick locks, pushing her bangs out of her eyes as she set her trunk down alongside the countless others. She tugged the frayed hem of her dark denim shorts as they rode up her slender copper legs. Her casual sneakers slapped the stone floor as she pushed her way through the crowd of people to board the Hogwarts Express.

"Jennelle!"

She lifted her gaze from her worn sneakers and met the chocolate eyes of her best friend as she waved frantically from across the corridor. The blonde shoved her way through the throng of students to reach Jenn, smiling apologetically as her elbow plowed into several peoples' sides.

"Hermione!" Jenn cried, throwing her arms over Hermione Granger's narrow shoulders.

Her beautiful face was swallowed by Hermione's never ending dirty blonde curls as she laid her chin on her friend's shoulder blade. Hermione's strawberry shampoo tickled Jenn's nose and she bit back the sneeze that was sneaking through her nostrils.

"Come on, Harry and Ron managed to snag a compartment for us," she said, guiding Jenn by her wrist along the narrow corridor.

"Oh, Merlin, here we go," Hermione muttered, her grip slightly tightening.

And as Jenn's olive eyes wandered ahead of the pair, she caught his stupid blonde head poking out of his compartment. His icy eyes narrowed upon spotting the girls, a hideous smirk sliding over his lips, and Jenn glared daggers right back at him, disregarding Hermione's strong encouragement to simply ignore him. As he stepped fully out of his compartment, standing proudly in their path, Jennelle took a moment to subtly examine the drastic changes that the boy had undergone over the summer holiday.

He had grown at least four inches, now standing well over a foot taller than her five foot frame. His arms and torso seemed to have bulked up quite a bit, his pale biceps protruding from within short sleeves of his black t-shirt. His jaw seemed more defined, the muscle near his cheek twitching before clenching tightly beneath his smooth skin. He jerked his head, swinging stray pieces of platinum hair out of his crystal eyes and his predictable sneer was present on his lips.

Hermione slipped past him, easily going unnoticed and although Jenn attempted to do the same, he shifted his body to stand directly in front of her, their bodies colliding for the briefest moment. Jenn gritted her straight white teeth, shoving her body away from his and met his hateful stare with one of her own.

"Move, Malfoy," she said through her teeth.

"Now, now Rivers, is that anyway to speak to your superiors?" he mocked, and Jenn couldn't help but be impressed by how deep his arrogant voice had become over the past few months.

"Come on, Malfoy, school hasn't even started yet," Hermione groaned from behind him.

His eyes did not stray from Jenn's when Hermione spoke, but he raised a thin pale hand to silence her. Her jaw dropped, evidently affronted by the dismissal, and she glared at the back of his blonde head before sending Jenn a pleading glance with her warm brown eyes.

"Come on, Rivers. Ask nicely," he smirked down at her.

"Get out of my way before I hex you to pieces, Malfoy," she growled with a sickly sweet smile stepping closer to him, the toes of her tattered sneakers centimeters away from the shiny toes of his polished black dress shoes.

"Always threatening, but never following through," he jeered raising an eyebrow at her.

"Oh, so I didn't turn you into a ferret last year, then?" she mocked, smirking wildly as his cheeks flushed angrily at the memory.

"I still owe you for that," he growled, cracking his knuckles menacingly, his cheeks having turned pink at the memory.

Jenn raised a dark thin eyebrow, silently daring him to hit her. As his large hands roughly shoved her shoulders, her fingers instinctively grasped her wand and she found herself aiming it at his pointed nose. Without a word, the tip of his fair nose singed black and he brought his hand to his face in pain and surprise. He pulled it away, checking his palm for crimson blood which he did not find, however Jenn smiled in satisfaction at the smoky imperfection on his once flawless face.

"That's it," he snarled, ripping his wand from the back pocket of his charcoal slacks.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you, Malfoy."

Draco whipped around violently and Jenn's eyes danced past him, a soft smile forming on her glossy lips. Harry Potter's famous emerald eyes narrowed behind his round glasses while he held his own wand pointed at Malfoy. Draco glanced between the two green-eyed Gryffindors, realizing he was undoubtedly outnumbered, before replacing his wand inside his pocket once more. Jenn followed suit, tucking her long wand inside her own pocket, watching the Slytherin snake step closer to Harry.

"Well if it isn't the Boy Who Lies, himself," he taunted. "I'm surprised they're still letting you walk around free, Potter."

"Shut it, Mafloy," Jenn growled coming to Harry's defense as Hermione, with unexpected strength, clutched Harry's biceps as he went to lunge at the blonde.

"Complete nutter," Draco spat, sneering down at Harry before turning his attention back to Jenn.

"This isn't over, Rivers," he threatened, bending down dangerously close to her face, before shoving past her, returning to his compartment.

His crisp scent lingered on Jenn, tangling its freshly cleaned laundry smell in her hair, latching onto her clothing, forcing its way into her memory. She rolled her eyes and smiled thankfully at Harry. He smiled back at her and ruffled his unruly hair with his fingers.

"Thanks, Harry," she said hugging him tightly, and he allowed his body to relax in her arms. "But I could've handled him myself, you know."

She inhaled Harry's scent then, the familiar earthy musk she had grown accustomed to. She was surprised when she didn't find his aroma quite as enticing as Draco's had been, the cool mint smell of his breath as he had spoken so close to her face. She shook her head to herself and pulled away from Harry's embrace slowly.

"Yeah but you'd have gotten yourself expelled," he joked, loosening his grip on her narrow waist.

"No sooner than you, tough guy," she teased, tousling his black hair with her fingertips.

"Come on, Ron's probably wondering where we are," Hermione said, walking ahead of Jenn and Harry to their compartment.

Jenn followed behind her, walking in time with Harry, their bare arms brushing against each other every now and then. Her cheeks flushed pink and she forced back the giddy smile that was pushing its way on to her plump lips.

"Unbelievable," Hermione muttered as she entered the compartment. "Git didn't even notice we were gone."

Entering behind her, Jenn laughed quietly as Ron's loud snores filled her ears. The ginger lay sprawled across one side of the compartment and, even with his long legs scrunched up to his broad chest, there was not a visible spot of cushion.

"I'll wake him up," Jenn volunteered, her infamous devious smirk present.

"No, leave him," Harry protested, sitting on the seat across from his sleeping friend. "We'll make it work."

Hermione quickly plopped down in the space beside him and Harry held his arms open for Jenn. She gracefully sat down on his lap, hoping not to crush him, and she could feel the flames biting at her round cheeks. She ignored Hermione's knowing smirk as she nearly grinned from beside the pair, her eyebrows raised high on her forehead, and focused, instead, on the intricate designs Harry was absentmindedly tracing on the exposed bronze skin of her silky smooth thigh.

"So, Jenn," Harry spoke up, "how was your summer?"

"It was wonderful," she said after subtly clearing my throat. "We spent most of it in Barbados. We only got a home two days ago."

"Wicked. What was it like?" he asked, and Jenn couldn't help but smile at the curiosity glistening in his eyes.

"It was absolutely beautiful," she gushed, diving into the story of her sun-filled vacation.

"What about you, Harry," she asked carefully once she was done. "How was your summer?"

"It was…okay," he said, his eyes growing distant.

"Hermione told me about the Dementor attack," Jenn said softly. "Fudge was being absolutely ridiculous, trying to expel you for that."

"He's in denial," Hermione said angrily.

"Daft is more like it," Harry muttered.

"Most people are. In denial, I mean," Jennelle said sadly. "Fear can do that to some people."

"I just don't see why anyone would think that I'd be pathetic enough to lie about Voldemort returning. I know what I saw last year. I watched Cedric be killed. I'm not making it up," he said desperately.

Jenn's eyes filled with tears in an instant and she ducked her head until her chin reached her chest. She ran her fingers hastily beneath her eyes, trying desperately to catch her fallen tears before they could stain her cheeks.

"I'm sorry, Jenn," he mumbled shamefully while she shook her head.

"It's fine. I'm fine," she insisted.

He watched her carefully, a wave of guilt sweeping over him as he watched her tears fall from her beautiful green eyes. When she finally lifted her head and brushed her silky hair from her reddened eyes, she flashed a soft, reassuring smile Harry's way and cleared her throat.

"I believe you, Harry, you know that. And everyone else will eventually, and they'll feel extremely dim for not believing you from the start," Jenn said.

"Thanks," Harry said softly as he nuzzled his nose into the crook of her neck.

She giggled quietly and stroked Harry's soft untidy locks until she dozed off against his shoulder.

Before long, Jenn found herself being tugged from Harry's lap and ushered to the changing rooms. She entered the stall beside Hermione's and began stripping down to her lacy black underwear. The cool chill in the air brought goose-bumps to her bare flesh as she began tugging her pleated skirt over her curvy hips.

"So when do you plan on telling Harry you fancy him?" Hermione asked casually.

Jenn faltered for a moment, fumbling with the buttons of her pristine white school shirt. She cleared her throat and took a deep breath.

"What are you on about?" she asked, playing dumb as she loosely fastened her gold and scarlet tie around her throat.

"Don't even try that with me, Jenn. I know you better than I know myself," Hermione said smartly. "I saw the way you looked at him, and blushed when he took you on his lap."

"That was nothing," Jenn argued, her voice raising an entire octave.

"Your voice always gets high when you're lying, Jenn," she remarked.

"It does not!" Jenn said, cringing when she realized she had done it again.

"Right," she laughed loudly, and Jenn heard Hermione noisily leaving her stall.

She finished up quickly and met Hermione by the sinks, washing her hands under cool water.

"So when are you going to tell him?" Hermione persisted.

"I don't know, Hermione," Jenn mumbled, running her thin pinky beneath her eye, ridding it of any stray eyeliner. "I don't want to mess anything up."

"I'm sure he feels the same way," Hermione encouraged.

"Has he told you so?" Jennelle asked evenly.

"Well, not exactly but…"

"Then you can't be sure, Hermione," Jenn said, drying her hands with a handful of paper towel.

"Why not just take a chance?" Hermione asked, crossing her arms over her chest.

"And ruin our entire friendship? I'd rather not," Jenn muttered. "I don't know what I'd do if that ever happened. Besides, he's been obsessed over Chang since last year, who knows if he's even over that yet."

As the girls grabbed their belongings and made their way out of the changing rooms, Jenn could've sworn she heard an evil voice whisper, "Brilliant."

Jenn and Hermione strolled slightly ahead of Harry and Ron as the quartet approached the carriages that would transport them to the castle. Jenn followed Hermione into the carriage and sat beside a fourth year Ravenclaw, Luna, commonly known as Loony, Lovegood. Jenn smiled sweetly at the younger blonde girl and waved to their friend, Neville Longbottom who was seated on Luna's other side.

"What is that?" Harry asked in shock. "Pulling the carriages?"

Jenn and Hermione followed his gaze before looking back at his stunned face.

"They're pulling themselves like they always do," Hermione said cautiously while Ron urged Harry to climb into the cart.

"You're not going mad," Luna's soft airy voice said. "I can see them, too."

Jenn and Ron exchanged a glance as if to say, "That's comforting." And the carriage began rolling forward carrying the group of six to the castle they all called home. The late summer night air was chilly and, even beneath her school robes, Jenn's body shivered slightly. Moved with a sudden chill, her foot collided with the toe of someone's black shoe.

"Sorry," she mumbled meeting those emerald eyes.

"No problem," Harry smiled though he seemed a bit preoccupied.

Through the welcoming feast, conversation was sparse as every member of Gryffindor devoured their meal. Jenn sat beside Harry, across from Ron and Hermione, and even she found she was unable to ignore the cold glares and nasty daggers being sent their way. On Harry's left side, beyond a huge gap of emptiness, Seamus Finnegan seethed every time he glanced at the Boy Who Lived. Jenn could see that Harry was fully aware of the icy stares he was receiving from the countless students in the Great Hall and, although he sort of expected it, he did not anticipate it being this severe.

"Just ignore them, Harry," Jenn whispered. "They'll come around."

He only nodded dismally and continued to play with the food on his plate. Jenn frowned and the rest of the hall fell silent as Dumbledore rose to the podium to speak. He briefly mentioned a change in staff regarding Hagrid being on leave, causing a soft whisper to arise amongst the Gryffindor table. He went on to introduce the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, Dolores Umbridge.

Clad in all pink, a stout toad-like woman interrupted Dumbledore's speech and took his spot at the podium. Jenn, along with Hermione and the few other students who realized her purpose, glared at the woman the Ministry had obviously sent to Hogwarts to keep an eye on Professor Dumbledore while she spoke about the things she expected would change at school with her presence. Finally, the headmaster resumed his rightful spot at the pedestal and dismissed his students to their common rooms.

"What do you suppose this means?" Ron asked, referring to the change in staff.

Jenn grumbled and fell back to walk beside Harry.

"It means the Ministry is interfering at Hogwarts," Hermione stated bitterly.

The foursome strolled through the portrait of the Fat Lady catching several glances as they turned to look at Harry once again.

"Seamus. Dean," Harry greeted out of sheer politeness. "Good holiday?"  
"Alright," Dean answered, sending a wary look at Seamus. "Better than Seamus's anyway."

Jenn leaned her weight on the back of one of the numerous scarlet couches between the identical redheads she had grown to like very much. George slung his arm lazily over Jenn's shoulders while Fred's slithered to wrap securely around her waist. She smiled warmly at them and waved to their little sister, Ginny, before returning her attention the bickering boys before her.

"Me mum didn't want me to come back this year," Seamus said, rising to his feet.

"Why not?" Harry asked already knowing the answer.

"Let me see, because of you," Seamus said angrily. "The Daily Prophet's been sayin' a lot of things about you, Harry. And Dumbledore, as well."

"And your mum believes them?" Harry asked incredulously.

"Well, nobody was there the night Cedric died," Seamus said matter-of-factly.

"Maybe you should read the Daily Prophet like your stupid mother. They'll tell you all you need to know," Harry shouted.

"Don't you talk about me mother like that!" Seamus shouted, balling his chubby hands into fists at his sides.

"I'll have a go at anyone who calls me a liar," Harry shouted back.

Jenn rose from her spot between Fred and George Weasley and grasped Harry's forearm in her small hand.

"You believe this rubbish he's comin' out with about You-Know-Who?" Seamus asked surprised, his glare falling on the beautiful brunette.

"Yeah, I do," Ron answered while Jenn and a few other bold Gryffindors, mostly of Weasley descent, nodded vigorously. "Anyone else have a problem with Harry?"

When silence followed his question, Ron encouraged Harry to head upstairs to their dormitory. The Boy Who Lived tore his arm out of Jenn's gentle grip, and she jumped slightly at the sudden movement. Hermione talked quietly with Ginny and the Weasley twins, glancing at Jenn every now and then, wondering why she hadn't joined their conversation yet. The dark haired beauty glowered at Seamus, shaking her head slowly at him, her gaze slowly filling with more and more disgust.

"How could you possibly believe that prat, Jenn?" Seamus asked walking closer, turning his assault to her.

"He's not a prat and you know it, Seamus," Jenn defended heatedly.

"How can you blindly believe his words? Like I said, nobody was there the night Diggory died," Seamus argued, his cheeks reddening violently.

"And you all should be grateful for that," Jenn growled loudly so that every other nonbeliever could hear her as sparkling tears rimming her eyes. "We're all lucky we didn't have to witness what Harry did that night. To see a classmate, a friend, die right before your eyes. And then have no one believe you on top of it. I believe Harry because he's my friend. He's never once lied about anything. You lot just don't _want_ to believe the truth because the truth is admittedly terrifying."

Seamus avoided her piercing green eyes as the tears threatened to overflow.

"Cedric was a good friend to me, as is Harry. And if Harry says Voldemort's back and took Cedric from this world, I'm going to take his word for it and be thankful that I didn't have to see the life leave his eyes," Jenn finished, angrily wiping the tears that defiantly fell from her eyes as she pushed past Seamus to leave the common room.

Jennelle stomped through the corridors, her tears drying into the smooth skin of her sun-kissed cheeks. She barreled down the several flights of stairs, her destination remaining unknown. Thankful to have stripped from her school robe, Jennelle was able to roll the thin white sleeves of her button-down to her elbows, willing the angry heat to leave her body. The hem of her skirt flared up, revealing the smooth skin just beneath her backside, as she stormed through the empty corridors, realizing curfew was swiftly approaching. She slowed down and paced in front of a large window, the light of the moon illuminating the barely lit hallway.

Jenn had tried her hardest this past summer to enjoy herself and forget the events that occurred at the end of her fourth year. She invested every ounce of energy she had inside of her towards being happy and moving forward with her life, as Cedric would wish for her to do. Jenn's friendship with Cedric Diggory went far deeper than friendly waves in the corridors and shy smiles across the Great Hall. Nobody ever knew, never even suspected, the relationship Jenn and Cedric had only a year ago. The late nights the pair had shared together roaming the castle, sneaking into deserted classrooms, lurking in the shadows well after curfew. No, not another living soul knew of those wonderful nights besides Jenn, now.

Jenn bit down on her bottom lip, her green eyes raised towards the brilliant white moon in the night sky. Though she and Cedric were never exclusive, a mutual decision they had made together, she had unknowingly given him a tiny fraction of her heart, a piece he seemingly took with him to the grave. She was not dim enough to claim she had ever loved the Hufflepuff, but she could not deny the twinge in her chest that would tug every time his full lips collided with hers, the same twinge she felt whenever she heard his name these days. They're meetings came to a halt when Cedric decided to go steady with a beautiful Ravenclaw, Cho Chang. Despite the fact that their interactions were sparse since then, Jenn was a complete mess when he died during the final task of the Tri-Wizard Tournament last year. As of late, Jenn had begun to blame her misery and grief on the lack of closure that followed Cedric's abrupt departure.

"Rivers."

She nearly leapt out of her flawless skin, torn from her thoughts, and her body tensed as she whipped around. Her long waves fanned out around her, swooping into her face as she came to a stop. She laid her hand over her heaving chest and leaned her weight against the cold stone windowsill. Her eyes narrowed at her pursuer and she puckered her lips together tightly. She recognized that cold voice and revolting sneer anywhere.

"What do you want, Malfoy," she rolled her eyes as he continued to approach her.

Finally reaching her, he smirked down at her, puffing his broad chest out proudly. Her eyes found the gleaming pin stuck to his heavy school robes, shining beneath the white light the moon had to offer.

"Prefect? You're a prefect?" she nearly snorted.

"Something funny, Rivers?" he snarled, stepping the slightest bit closer to her.

"Someone must have had a bit too much firewhiskey when they decided to bestow that responsibility on such a senseless prat like you," she laughed at her own joke.

"Like it or not, I have authority over every student in this school," he smirked wickedly. "That includes you, Rivers."

She glared up at him, unafraid by his threat. Her sculpted eyebrow rose on her forehead, a sarcastic smirk creeping on to her lips.

"So you think a shiny badge is going to make me tremble in my trainers?" she coughed a loud laugh. "Dream on, Malfoy."

He sneered down at her, pieces of his platinum hair tangling themselves in his pale eyelashes as the crystal pools subtly scanned her figure, realizing she was, in fact, wearing her usual tattered trainers on her small feet. The smooth skin of her slender legs glowed beneath the moonlight, her toned arms crisscrossed over her swollen chest. Jenn's emerald eyes sparkled as she stared up into his eyes provokingly.

"On second thought," she drew his attention again, "leave me out of your dreams."

"Were you crying?" he asked suddenly, his tone one of surprise as he scanned the grayish tracks drying along her rosy face.

Jenn stared at him in confusion before hastily running the back of her hands over her cheeks in a desperate attempt to rid them of any traces of tears, her confidence abruptly evaporating. Her cheeks reddened beneath his penetrating, mocking gaze as he purposely failed to stifle a laugh. She was furious with herself for letting him see even a whisper of weakness from her and her fingers balled into fists at her sides.

"What are you crying about, Rivers? Realizing just how pathetic your family is? Finally seeing your father for the disgraceful git that he is? Tainting a perfectly noble pureblood name by mating with that useless muggle," Malfoy spat. "For that, you should cry, Rivers."

"You know what, Malfoy?" Jenn rumbled, stalking towards him, stopping dangerously close. "We have a completely different idea of what disgraces the name of wizard. My father married for love, which is more than I can say for your wretched parents. My parents have the capability to remain in each other's company for more than an hour without muttering one hateful word at one another. So before you go running your tongue about my family, why don't you take a look at your own, you sad, pathetic little boy."

"How dare you," Malfoy growled, gritting his teeth, his fingers clutching her biceps painfully.

"How dare _you_," Jenn screeched. "Get your filthy hands off me!"  
"So if you're not crying about your pitiful family, what is it, Rivers?" he persisted, pressing her body against the stones with breathtaking force. "Are you finally realizing that Diggory's dead because he was pathetic and weak?"

"Shut up!" Jenn screamed, wrenching her arms from his grasp.

She shoved her palms against his broad chest and pushed with all her might, sending him flying across the corridor. Draco's back slammed into the stones behind him and Jenn sauntered closer to him, rage filling her darkened eyes. She arched her neck and spat her saliva into his face, watching him grimace and wipe the warm liquid from his cheek with the sleeve of his robes.

"Don't you dare speak his name," she warned, a tone so venomous Draco never expected such a sound to come from her pretty lips.

She drew her arm back and launched her fist into his face, only feeling a tiny bit better as he winced and toppled into the wall behind him. With that, Jennelle whirled away from Draco and stomped upstairs to her common room, leaving the Slytherin Prince staring after her from the marble floor in complete and utter bewilderment.


	2. Chapter 2

*****First of all, thanks for reading! I hope you're enjoying it so far. I'd really love feedback. I tend to write long chapters, but if you don't like that, let me know and i'll break them up into smaller ones. I wanna hear what you guys think about the relationships that are developing and the character ive created so pleeeeease review! Thanks again!*****

**Fire and Rain**

Chapter two

"First of all, you shouldn't have been wandering around the castle after curfew to begin with," Hermione lectured as the quartet sat in front of the blazing fire. "And secondly, you can't let him get to you like that. He's a prefect, Jennelle. Like it or not, he does have the power to punish you."

"And to think, I thought you'd be proud of me for not drawing my wand on him, Hermione," Jenn said pouting slightly as Hermione pressed an icepack against her knuckles.

"More than I could have managed," Harry muttered, winking at his raven-haired friend.

"You best not dare attempt to duel him while he has that badge on his chest, Jennelle. He can get you into some serious trouble now," Hermione warned, rising to her feet.

The group headed to the Great Hall for breakfast once Jenn's hand was sufficiently bandaged. She sat down heavily while Hermione sat down gracefully. Harry sat down in the seat beside her while Ron clambered over the bench on the opposite side of the table with a dismal amount of poise. Ron piled his plate high with endless amounts of food, much to Hermione's disgust, while Jenn filled a small bowl with large chunks of fruit. She stabbed her silver fork into a pink square of watermelon, its juices dripping to the bottom of the white bowl. She bit the piece in half, chewed, and swallowed before taking a swift swig of her coffee.

"Morning, you lot," Ginny greeted, sitting down in the vacant seat on Jenn's right.

The boys grumbled in response as they continued to eat their meal and Hermione smiled politely at the fourth year.

"Any reason Malfoy's giving you the evil eye this morning, Jennie?" Ginny asked as she spooned some steaming oatmeal into her mouth.

Jenn's eyes searched the hall for those icy orbs and found that they were, indeed, narrowed nastily as they focused on her face. She smirked, noticing the swollen purple splotch beneath his eye, an imperfection on his oh-so-flawless face. She held his gaze and glared back at him, childishly poking her pink tongue between her lips. She turned to Ginny and shrugged her shoulders.

"Had a brief run in with him last night," she replied casually flashing her bandaged knuckles. "Probably still hot and bothered by the words I left him with."

"Hot and bothered?" Ginny smirked, her interest peaking now. "What words exactly?"

"What do you mean? OI! Gross, Ginny! Not like that," Jenn rushed, dropping her fork to the table with a clank.

"So you didn't send him into a steamy fit, then?" Ginny teased, fully aware of how uncomfortable Jenn and Hermione were becoming.

"Of course not! This is Malfoy we're talking about," Jenn breathed. "I would never… he and I... we hate each other!"

"Some would see your so-called hatred as pent up sexual frustration," Ginny teased again.

"Ginevra Molly Weasley!" Jenn scolded. "Ronald, do you hear the way your baby sister is speaking to me right now?"

"Trying to ignore it, actually," Ron said, the tips of his ears burning bright burgundy, his chocolate eyes focused on his plate.

"Honestly, Gin, when did you get to be so raunchy?" Jenn accused skeptically.

The fourth year shrugged her shoulders and ran her fingers through her silky auburn hair.

"I know things," she winked. "I know that you become increasingly flustered whenever Malfoy's around and, in turn, his trouser become a bit more… _snug_."

"You are completely off your rocker, little one," Jenn said, glancing at Hermione and Harry for back-up.

She was disappointed when she followed Harry's distant gaze focused on the pretty Asian girl seated beneath the Ravenclaw banner. Cho Chang flipped her hair of silk over her shoulder as she sat glumly with her friends, paying no mind to Harry's watchful eyes. Sighing, Jenn met Hermione's thoughtful stare.

"What?" Jenn asked, raising an eyebrow at her bushy-haired friend.

"Just thinking," Hermione replied simply, returning her attention to the buttered toast in front of her.

"Well? Spit it out, then," Jenn pressed on.

"I was just wondering if…" she paused. "If maybe Ginny's on to something."

Jenn gawked at Hermione from across the table and did the same to a smug Ginny before rising to her feet.

"There is nothing between me and Malfoy," she said through gritted teeth as she swung her legs over the bench.

"You and Malfoy?" Harry piped up, watching Jenn rise to her feet. "What about you and the ferret?"

"Nothing! These two have gone completely mental," Jenn cried, glaring down at the two girls.

"Come on, Jenn," Hermione pleaded, smiling while Jenn swung her book bag over her shoulder.

"Yeah, I was just messing with you, Jennie," Ginny called. "What do I care if Malfoy tickles your fancy? Or if he tickles anything else for that matter?"

Jenn's feet rooted to the marble floor beneath her converse sneakers. She turned back to face the young redhead who had just shouted those heinous words over the ruckus of the Great Hall, a still silence following her statement. Although Ginny blushed in embarrassment, apparently not having intended to be so loud, Jenn's nostrils flared and she clenched her jaw tightly, her straight teeth grinding together with a gruesome noise. She could feel the fire scorching her cheeks as her angry eyes danced around the countless faces staring at her in surprise. She met his blue eyes, filled with confusion and slight wonder. She kept her gaze piercing and threatening, but when his lips twisted into a cocky smirk, Jenn stormed out of the Great Hall leaving her friends to finish their breakfast.

"Un-bloody-believable," she growled as Hermione sat down beside her at one of the Potions stations. "The first day of class, and I've already been humiliated in front of the entire student body."

"Must be a record, even for you, mate," Ron joked lightly.

"Yeah, it usually takes you a solid month to do that," Harry added, nudging Jenn gently.

If she hadn't been so angry, Jenn most likely would have blushed and giggled at his joke, or at least smiled back as Harry flashed her a million galleon smile. But she was outraged and more embarrassed than she ever had been in her life. Catching on to her hostile mood, Hermione laid a soothing hand over Jenn's forearm.

"She feels really awful about it, Jenn," Hermione whispered as Professor Snape entered the bleak classroom.

"As she should," Jenn remarked bitterly.

The group fell silent along with the rest of the class as Snape began to drone on and on about his expectations for the new term. For once, the Potions class seemed to go by rather quickly and, before she knew it, Snape was dismissing the fifth years to their next class. Jenn gathered her belongings and exited the room with her friends in tow. Ron and Harry had a free period, and Hermione was headed to Ancient Ruins while Jenn was off to Transfigurations.

"See you at lunch," she bade her farewell without awaiting a response, though she caught Hermione frowning sadly at her.

Jenn entered McGonagall's classroom and took a seat at an available table towards the back of the room. She dropped her bag heavily on the floor beside her chair and began balancing on the back legs of the seat, her feet dangling precariously over the ground. Slowly, the class began to fill with students, Gryffindors and the gruesome Slytherins, and Jenn found herself joined by Seamus and Dean right away.

"Hello, boys," she greeted.

Seamus took a seat at the table in front of her, waving tiredly over his shoulder as he slumped his head against his forearms over the tabletop. Dean leaned his weight causally on the end of Jenn's table, smiling down at her.

"Pleasant breakfast?" he teased, drumming his fingers against the tabletop.

"Oh, not you too," she groaned, the corners of her glossed lips dipping downwards.

"Sorry, Jennie," he apologized quickly, his bright smile remaining. "I'll stop, I promise."

She smirked gratefully at him but her dazzling smile quickly vanished. The blonde boy and his cronies stood proudly before her, grinning like idiots as their leader called for the attention of the class.

"Secret's out, eh, Rivers?" he mocked, smirking so widely that it was almost a smile.

His friends snickered from behind him, seeming as though they already knew the punch-line that was coming to his sick, sadistic anecdote. He had one hand tucked inside his back pocket while the other fingered the leather strap of his messenger bag as it pressed against his strong chest. Jenn stared up at him expectantly, her eyebrow already raised, awaiting his insults.

"We all heard it loud and clear fresh out of the little Weaslette's mouth," he continued. "I…what was the phrase… Tickle your fancy?"

She glared up at him, forcing herself to keep her mouth shut before the vile, un-ladylike words could burst forth and cost her House points. His friends cackled loudly from his flanks and he leaned into the fat oaf, Crabbe, as Draco laughed wholeheartedly.

"You obviously don't have enough sense to realize when you're the butt of a joke, Malfoy," she said through her teeth.

Her insult had no impact. His cruel smile never left his lips as he stared down at her. His eyes glistened with amusement as his friends' chuckles died down a bit.

"You obviously don't have enough sense to realize when you're shooting out of your league, Rivers," he growled back.

"Piss off, Malfoy," she grumbled, turning her affronted eyes away from his stare.

"For now," he mumbled, leading his minions to the opposite side of the classroom just as McGonagall swept inside the door.

"Don't get too cozy," she warned. "I'll be moving seats in just a moment."

The class groaned and Jenn lifted her bag off the floor, preparing to relocate to wherever McGonagall wished for her to sit. She rattled off the last names of her pupils, and when McGonagall arrived to Jenn's, the student lifted her bag over her shoulder and made her way to the desk the professor was pointing to. She sat down and pulled out a roll of parchment, a quill, and ink, settling into her seat at the furthest desk from the front of the class.

"Malfoy," McGonagall called. "Beside Miss Rivers."

Jenn's breath caught in her throat, so painfully she had to gasp for air. As the boy sat down beside her, she literally almost burst into tears.

_How could the first day of classes go so terribly?_ She thought as she ran her nails through her hair.

She did not dare to look at the insolent pig, but she could feel his gaze burning holes in the side of her face. She imagined his smirk painted permanently on his lips and gritted her teeth together tightly. Jenn busied herself with the feather of her quill, running her fingers along the soft edge before brushing it lightly against her chin and cheek. From the corner of her eye, she caught his expression change from one of mocking superiority, to one of curiosity and desire.

"Can I help you, Malfoy?" she spat, slamming her hand on the table, sending a tingling sensation through her palm.

He smirked and parted his lips to reply, but as McGonagall's voice echoed through the room, he shut it and turned his attention to the elderly woman. Jenn scribbled words and phrases as McGonagall lectured, determined to excel in this subject yet again this year. However, she was interrupted when a small rectangle of parchment brushed against her left hand. She glanced to her left, watching Malfoy raise a blonde eyebrow before turning his attention back to his notes. Despite her better judgment, Jenn tugged the rectangle closer to her and read the neatly printed words silently.

_Where exactly do you wish for me to 'tickle' you, Rivers?_

Her cheeks flushed and she crumbled the paper into a ball in her fist. The second McGonagall's back was turned, she threw the ball at the boy beside her, smiling in satisfaction as it bounced off his temple and rolled to the floor. His eyes widened in shock before narrowing angrily at the brunette to his right. Jenn, ever-so kindly, raised her middle finger with a beautiful smile on her face just as Professor McGonagall turned to face her pupils, once more.

"Miss Rivers," she scolded. "That is a highly inappropriate gesture that I will not tolerate in my classroom."

"I'm very sorry, Professor," Jenn said sweetly. "But he provoked me."

"Have you any proof?" Professor McGonagall questioned.

"No," Jenn grumbled, bringing her cold glare to the glossy table in front of her.

"Detention tonight, Miss Rivers. Seven o'clock," the old woman said sadly.

Jenn glowered at her notes and weaved her arms over her torso. Her chair jolted beneath her as a polished black shoe collided with one of its legs. Jenn slowly lifted her eyes to meet the boy's beside her, and she glared harder than she ever had before. Draco smirked mockingly and raised his white eyebrows at her before turning away, chuckling to himself. Once the class was dismissed, Jenn stowed her things into her bag and stood slowly from her seat. She was about to step into the isle, following her classmates as they exited the Transfigurations classroom, when a large hand clamped down on her bicep.

"Just say the word and I will oblige," Draco whispered directly into her ear, his minty breath blowing her black hair from away from her neck.

She turned her head slightly, finding her nose dangerously close to his, the purple bruise contrasting grossly with his pale skin, before he rose to his full height and brushed past her. She watched his figure retreat through the doorway and shook her head as her eyes narrowed.

"Alright, Rivers?" McGonagall inquired from her desk.

"Fine," Jenn replied, leaving the classroom.

"I told you not to mess with him, Jenn," Hermione reprimanded.

"He's not the one who gave me detention, Hermione," Jenn argued. "Besides, he provoked me."

"It doesn't matter!" Hermione cried as the girls reached the Fat Lady. "You're going to get worse than detention with McGonagall."

"Leave her alone, Hermione," Harry defended gently. "At least she didn't turn him into a ferret this time."

Jenn chuckled and bit her lip bashfully as she sat down beside Harry on the scarlet couch. Hermione shook her head disapprovingly and spread her textbooks over the coffee table to start her homework. Harry let his arm fall from the back of the couch to drape over Jenn's shoulders and she smiled up at him.

"You best be off, then," Hermione dismissed. "Both of you."

"You have detention too, Harry?" Jenn asked.

"Yeah, with Umbridge," he replied in annoyance. "For lying about Voldemort."

"Wow…" Jenn trailed off.

"I'll walk you to McGonagall's if you want," Harry offered, smacking Jenn's thigh lightly.

"Sure," she agreed, following him out of the portrait hole.

"Professor McGonagall," Jenn called as she entered the woman's classroom.

"Miss Rivers, right on time," she smiled at Jenn from her desk.

She shuffled countless papers on her desk until they sat in a neat pile and then rose to her feet. The skirt of her indigo gown dusted the floor slightly as she descended the steps of her platform. She held her arms out and surveyed the classroom, inviting Jenn to do the same. As her emerald eyes wandered the room, she realized her task for the night.

"As you can see, the second years had a bit of trouble transforming their pets into goblets," McGonagall began. "You will be… Oh, there you are, Mister Malfoy."

Jenn whipped around, glaring in detest at the idiot behind her. She smiled politely at the old woman before turning his gaze to Jenn.

"Sorry I'm late, Professor. Caught a couple of first years in the restricted section of the library," he excused.

"That's alright, Malfoy," McGonagall pardoned. "As I was saying…Rivers, you will be responsible for cleaning the entire classroom without magic as your punishment."

"Is _this_ part of my punishment, as well?" Jenn growled, pointing her polished finger towards the Slytherin.

"Unfortunately, I have other things to attend to tonight," McGonagall smiled apologetically. "Mister Malfoy is here to supervise you for the evening in my absence. I'm sorry, Rivers."

Jenn stared up at the professor as she held her wrinkled hand out in anticipation. Jenn begrudgingly handed over her wand, which McGonagall promptly placed into Draco's open palm. Jenn watched the professor exit the classroom, locking the door behind her, before glaring up at the blonde boy.

She searched her brain for words to shout at him, but none seemed to suffice. So she turned away from him and scanned the room, deciding where to begin. The floor was covered in feathers and fur-balls while the walls were coated in an odd mixture of slime, blood, and what appeared to be owl droppings. Grasping a thin stick of wood in her fists, she began sweeping up the mess on the floor, ignoring Draco's watchful stare. She bent over to sweep the parcels into the dustpan and caught his blue eyes focused intently on her rear.

"Excuse you!" she cried, standing erect, the dustpan dropping from her hand with a bang.

"What?" he droned, his eyes raking her body.

"Keep your eyes in your head, Malfoy," she warned, digging her fingers into her denim-clad hips.

"Or what?" he challenged, sauntering confidently towards her.

"Or I'll hex you so bad, your father _won't_ hear about it," she threatened.

He glared down at her and effortlessly swung his foot through the heap of feather and fur she had swept up for the last hour. Her eyes widened incredibly as she watched them float to the ground, scattered once more. She snapped her head to him and shoved her palms against his chest.

"What the blood hell is wrong with you, Malfoy?" she shouted, bending down to grasp a handful of debris. "I spent over an hour cleaning that up! Do you really want to stay locked in here with me all night?"

She threw the handful of feathers at him, covering his white button down with gray cat hair. He snarled down at her and patted his shirt free of the pet dander.

"You are such a child!" Jenn screamed, throwing another handful at him.

"I'm the child? At least I'm not chucking feathers at you!" Draco yelled back.

As she went to heave another furry missile at him, Draco caught her forearm in his fist, twisting carefully until she released her ammo. Jenn pulled her free hand back and swung, only to be trapped in his grasp against. She grunted as he plowed her into the dirty classroom wall, still holding her arms tight in his hands. She glared up at him, her breath leaving her mouth in harsh huffs and puffs as he snarled down at her. She struggled beneath him, wriggling in his grip to no avail.

"Given it much thought, Rivers?" he panted.

"What?" she asked, her squirming stopping for a moment.

"Have you thought about what you'd like me to do to you," Draco asked, gazing into her bright eyes.

"I'd like for you to drop dead, Malfoy," she seethed.

"That's not very nice, Rivers," Draco said calmly.

He nuzzled the crook of her hot neck with the tip of his nose, breathing in her sweet vanilla shampoo. She froze beneath his touch, an odd sensation bubbling in her stomach as his skin brushed against hers. She felt her eyes flutter closed and her lips parted slightly. Her body relaxed against his and his grip on her wrists slackened as he grazed his soft lips against the milky skin of her throat.

"There you go, Rivers, just relax," he cooed in a soft voice Jenn had never heard before.

"Stop," she said, coming to her senses.

"What's wrong?" he asked softly, landing a gentle kiss on her neck.

"I said stop, Malfoy," she said a little more forcefully, her palms pushing against his chest. "I don't…this isn't…"

"You want this, Rivers," Draco said calmly. "We both know it, now."

"No, I don't want this," she disagreed, scurrying away from him. "I don't want anything to do with you."

"You're lying," he challenged, his blue eyes searching her face for the truth.

"I'm not," she argued, a strangled laugh escaping her lips. "You're vile, and cruel, and pathetic. What do you have that I would possibly want, Malfoy? Looks? Money? None of that matters to me. You do not possess anything that I desire in a man. In fact, I wouldn't call you much of a man at all."

Jenn shook her head at the pathetic little boy before her and, with a swift kick to the wooden door, she exited the classroom, leaving the door hanging from its hinges. Draco watched after her until her black hair was out of sight. Overcome with anger, he picked up one of the rickety old chairs and launched it into the dirty wall across the classroom, watching in satisfaction as it shattered into several pieces. He ran his thick fingers through his platinum hair and, sighing heavily, waved his wand to clean up the mess strewn before him.

After hearing a loud crash, Jenn broke into a run, fleeing from the Transfigurations classroom as quickly as she could. Rounding a corner and landing on one of the moving staircases, she paused to catch her breath. She dragged her painted nails through her long hair and rubbed her temples, feeling a migraine coming on as she panted on the staircase.

"Jenn!"

She jumped and prepared to bolt before registering the voice that was extremely familiar to her. Harry stood on the staircase above her and flashed a tired smile down at her before leaping over the railing.

"Are you mad?" Jenn cried, steadying him on his feet once he landed beside her.

"How was your detention?" he asked curiously as he picked up his fallen glasses.

"Fine," she replied curtly, searching for her wand to repair the crack in his lens. "Forgot my wand, though. Sorry, mate."

"'S alright, Hermione will fix them tomorrow," Harry smiled brightly. "You okay? You look a bit shaken."

"No, I'm fine," Jenn smiled.

She walked with Harry to the common room in silence, wondering how she would retrieve her wand. As they reached the stairs in the common room leading to their respective dormitories, Harry laced his fingers with Jenn's and she looked up at him in surprise. Without a word of warning, he pulled her into a tight hug, and she laid her head comfortable against his sturdy chest.

"I'm here if you need anything, Jennie," he said softly.

She smiled at his words and parted her lips to thank him. But the words she wished to say melted away as he pressed his warm lips to the side of her face. She felt flames nip at her cheeks as he released her from his embrace, bidding her goodnight.

Jenn ascended the stairs to her dormitory and laid down for bed, expecting to fall asleep dreaming of Harry. She anticipated staring at her crimson canopy, replaying that moment when his lips so gently touched her face. But as hard as she tried, Jenn could not stop thinking about the exchange she had just had with Draco. She tried to forget his nose brushing her neck and his lips on her skin, but she couldn't. And every time the memories crossed her mind, flashing before her eyes, the strange bubbling in her stomach returned accompanied by an unsteady thud in her chest.


	3. Chapter 3

*****Thanks for reading! PLEASE REVIEW!*****

**Fire and Rain**

**Chapter three**

Jenn tossed and turned beneath her heavy blanket that night, haunted by dreams of his pale skin and crystal eyes. His fingers brushing along the exposed skin of her forearms, his lips traveling gently along her shoulder blade, it all felt so real. She clearly recalled the soft tone laced with lust that he had used earlier that evening, a sound she had never anticipated hearing from him. His icy eyes pierced into hers, scorching themselves into her memory.

A sudden gust of cold air flooded her dormitory, the large window beside her bed bursting open. Jenn woke with a start, her emerald eyes frantically dancing around the blackened bedroom. She could have sworn she saw those brilliant eyes shining beneath the light of the moon, but in her groggy state, she could not be certain. Jenn tiptoed to the window, closing it once more, and climbed back beneath her covers for the night.

She awoke the following morning feeling exhausted, as though she hadn't slept a wink, and forced herself out of bed. She moved slowly towards the bathroom to bathe. As she soaked in the tub, she brainstormed ideas of trickery to retrieve her wand back from the ferret that plagued her dreams. With a sigh of frustration, Jenn stepped out of the shower and got herself dressed. Allowing her hair to dry into their natural waves, she exited the lavatory fully clothed. She sat on her bed in order to tug her tiny sneakers over her feet, tucking their tattered laces inside the shoes. Her eyes fell on the black stick placed carefully on her bedside table. She laid her fingers over the handle, twisting the vine wood between her fingertips. Her eyes narrowed and she slipped the wand into the deep pocket of her school robes.

"Ready for breakfast, Jenn?" Hermione asked.

"Yeah, let's go," Jenn replied, rising to her feet.

She and Hermione sat down beneath the scarlet Gryffindor banner across from Ron and Harry. The boys' whispering ceased upon the girls' arrival, and Jenn kinked her brow in confusion.

"Everything alright, you two?" Jenn asked as she spread a hefty amount of butter across her toast.

"Everything's fine," Ron replied for the both of them.

Hermione hummed to herself as her eyes scanned the Daily Prophet. She shook her head every now and then at the lies printed on the pages. Harry's emerald eyes glared at the newspaper before turning his attention to Jenn.

"You look like hell, Jennie," he commented, taking a bite out of a glistening red apple.

"Thanks, Harry," she glared, tossing a greasy strip of bacon at him.

"What happened last night?" Hermione spoke.

"What?" Jenn asked nervously.

"Your detention? How'd it go?" Hermione asked, lifting her eyes from the parchment.

"It was fine. Nothing like manually cleaning up after idiotic second years," Jenn replied.

The group ate in silence after that, and Jenn sipped her coffee slowly. Bored, she allowed her eyes to stray across the eating hall. The emerald orbs narrowed, perceiving the individual nearing her seat at the table. Jenn glared harder before turning her attention back to her nearly cleared plate. In her peripherals, she saw Hermione smile sympathetically at the newcomer while Harry and Ron busied themselves with their eggs.

"Jennie," she began, "I'm sorry for what I said. I didn't mean for everyone to hear me."

Jenn glanced up at the redhead and smiled slightly.

"You best learn to keep your mouth shut, Weasley," Jenn warned, pulling Ginny by the wrist to sit beside her.

"I really am sorry. I heard he gave you a rough time in Transfigurations afterwards," Ginny said, glancing briefly at Dean who was seated further down the table.

"That's Malfoy for you," Jenn said bitterly.

Her eyes subconsciously wandered to the Slytherin table where she found him staring intently in her direction. She felt the strangest urge to flash one of her famous smiles his way, but she brushed it off and glared deadly daggers at him instead. The students around her began filing through the large Oak doors, and Jenn rose to do the same. Jenn waved goodbye to her friends and made her way towards the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom for her first encounter with the toad-like woman from the Ministry.

She strolled through the doorway, happy to notice that there were significantly more Gryffindors and Hufflepuffs than Slytherins, and tried to decide where to sit. She plopped down in a vacant seat in the center of the room and popped her feet on top of the table. Her small feet twitched in rhythm to a beat that only she could hear and she picked at the chipping polish on her nails.

"Mind if I sit here?"

Jenn tore her attention away from her nails and met the most beautiful bronze eyes she had ever seen. The boy smiled down at her, showing off his straight white teeth and rushed his fingers through his messy brown hair. Jenn stammered and quickly pulled her feet off of the table so the boy could sit beside her. He took a seat, smiling graciously, and stuck his hand out towards her.

"Name's Jack Summerby," he introduced.

"I'm-" Jenn began,

"Jennelle Rivers, I know. I've heard loads about you," he smiled, a hint a mystery in his copper eyes.

"Oh? From who?" Jenn asked as she twisted a ribbon of ebony hair around her finger.

"Diggory used to talk about you a lot," Jack replied with a sad smile.

Jenn nodded, her flirty smile replaced by a mournful frown. She cast her eyes downwards and blinked slowly, his name stabbing her heart like a million double edged swords.

"You knew him?" Jenn asked gloomily.

"Yeah, one of my best mates, he was," Jack replied softly.

"I'm sorry," Jenn smiled sympathetically.

"He's safer than the rest of us now, at least," Jack reasoned optimistically. "Left me with big shoes to fill."

"How so?" Jenn asked curiously.

"Our House elected me Seeker in his place," Jack explained, and Jenn noticed the Hufflepuff tie fastened loosely around his neck. "He was brilliant on a broom. Dunno if I can live up to his talent."

"Cedric was a fair flyer, but I'm sure you'll do just fine," Jenn assured him. "Your team must have seen you fit enough to fill his position."

"I suppose so," he replied.

"How's the rest of your House doing since…?" Jenn couldn't finish her question, the words hurt too much to speak.

"As best as we can, I think," Jack smiled. "Nothing's really the same without Ced around, but we make the best of it because that's what he'd want us to do."

Jenn nodded, tears stinging her eyes. She blinked her mascara-covered lashes in an attempt to block her tears from falling, an awkward laugh slipping between her teeth. She shook her head to herself and smiled back at Jack who patted her knee gently. With an obnoxious, "Ahem," the disgusting professor called for the attention of her students, and they fell silent under her sickly grin.

"It's going to be a long school year," Jack groaned as he and Jenn strode from the classroom after the lesson came to a close.

"You can bet on that, mate," she replied.

Further down the corridor, she noticed the vile group of Slytherins heading in their direction. Jenn inched closer to Jack until their arms were brushing together as to avoid colliding with any of the oncoming bunch. However, one shoulder managed to violently bump into hers and she staggered, clearly knocked off balance. She narrowed her eyes, knowing who she'd find sneering down at her when she lifted her hateful stare. Jack's fingers gripped her bicep, steadying her on her feet once more.

"Watch it, Malfoy," Jack growled, swinging Jenn's rucksack over his shoulder.

"Merlin, Rivers, I know you're desperate to touch me, but did you have to attack me like that?" Malfoy mocked, sending his friends into a violent fit of giggles.

"You're one to talk about desperation, Malfoy," Jenn snarled. "Taken to sneaking into my dormitory to watch me sleep, have you? Desperation at its finest."

Jack intentionally failed to stifle his laughter from behind her while Draco's cronies fell silent, awaiting his rebuttal. But it did not come. Draco Malfoy remained silent as he glared harshly down at the raven-haired beauty, gritting his teeth tightly.

"Nothing to say, Malfoy? I knew you were pathetic," Jenn smirked, raising a threatening eyebrow at the blonde.

Flipping her long hair over her shoulder, she spun on her heel and walked away, catching Jack's forearm in her fingertips.

"You lot should have seen his face," Jack laughed loudly while he retold the story of Jenn's victory.

"Brilliant," Ron smiled patting Jenn on the back.

Hermione smiled and shook her head, seemingly pleased that Jenn hadn't caused too much trouble just yet. Harry sat beside Jenn at the Gryffindor table fidgeting, obviously uncomfortable in the presence of a stranger, though Ron and Hermione accepted Jack effortlessly. Jack continued to chat with Ron and Hermione while Jenn turned to face Harry.

"What is it, Harry?" she whispered.

"Nothing, I'm fine," he lied.

"You can talk to me, Harry, really," she encouraged.

"It's just…strange. Nobody believes me about Voldemort, so why does he?" Harry asked skeptically as he glanced over Jenn's shoulder at the boy on her other side.

"He was very close with Cedric, that's why," Jenn defended.

"Then why doesn't he blame me for his death?" Harry whispered darkly.

"You didn't kill him did you?" Jenn asked crossly. "You're not to blame and Jack knows that."

With that, Jenn turned away from Harry, returning her attention to the lighthearted conversation Jack and Hermione were having about studies.

"I'm terrible at Defense Against the Dark Arts, hence why I have to take it with fifth years instead of seventh years like myself. I have a feeling I'll pass this term with Umbridge, though," Jack said confidently.

"Only because she's not having us use magic," Jenn teased, earning a chuckle from Ron.

"Well…yeah," Jack said, a faint blush flooding his olive-toned cheeks.

"We're not going to pass our O.W.L's if we've never performed the spells," Hermione argued.

"We're not learning how to defend ourselves. That's the biggest issue here," Jenn stated while Harry and Jack nodded in agreement.

"We need a teacher," Ron said quietly.

"A proper teacher," Jack specified.

Jenn glanced at Hermione to find her eyes were already focused on Harry.

"What?" Harry asked through a mouthful of potatoes.

"Thank you all for coming," Hermione said shakily.

Jenn stood beside her and stared out at the large group before them. They gathered in the Hog's Head, a lone pub that hardly any other students visit during Hogsmeade trips. The dismal location served as a perfect place for a secret meeting.

"We're here because we need a real teacher," Hermione continued. "Someone who can teach us to defend ourselves."

"Harry has agreed to help us, so when you're ready to join, you can just-"

"Why?" someone called from the audience.

"Why? Because You-Know-Who's back you git," Ron spat at the boy in the crowd.

"Where's the proof?" the younger boy shouted back.

"If Potter could tell us more about how Diggory got killed…" another classmate, a Ravenclaw, offered.

Jenn's eyes fell to her sneakers and she shifted uncomfortably. She lifted her gaze hearing Harry's feet shuffle to stand beside her, but his eyes were focused on the crowd. He gazed into Chang's big brown eyes and parted his thin lips.

"I'm not going to talk about Cedric, so if that's why you're here you may as well clear out," Harry said forcefully. "They think I'm a nutter."

"Is it true you can produce a Patronus charm?" Luna's airy voice floated from the back of the group.

"Yes, I've seen it," Hermione replied, a sense of pride in her tone.

"He killed a basilisk in second year with the sword in Dumbledore's office," Neville added triumphantly.

"It's true!" Ginny cried.

"And last year, he really did fight off You-Know-Who in the flesh," Hermione stated.

"Stop," Harry commanded. "It all sounds great when you say it like that. But most of that was just luck, and I nearly always had help."

"He's being modest," Hermione countered.

"No, Hermione, I'm not," Harry argued. "In class, if you fail you can try again tomorrow. But when an enemy is staring you in the face, it's over. I didn't know what I was doing half the time."

"Regardless, Harry, we need someone with actual experience to teach us, to prepare us for what's really out there. And if Umbridge isn't going to do that…we need you to," Jenn pleaded.

"Where can I sign?" Fred Weasley called, rising to his feet.

Before long, the entire roll of parchment was filled with scribbles and signatures of fellow students joining the secret alliance. Each student was bound to secrecy by a spell Hermione had casted on the parchment. The club, 'Dumbledore's Army,' was created that very day.

"Damn fine turn out, yeah?" Jack grinned, strolling beside Jenn as the group walked towards the carriages.

"We know one thing's for sure don't we?" Hermione smirked.

"What's that?" Harry asked.

"Cho couldn't keep her eyes off you," she winked.

Jenn winced until Jack's arm fell over her shoulders, tucking her beneath his strong bicep. She sat between Jack and Ron on the ride back to the castle in the rickety cart. Jenn remained quiet the entire way back, ignoring the way Jack absentmindedly twirled a piece of her ebony hair around his finger. She hopped out of the carriage without a word, her sneakers leaving little footprints in the thin sheet of snow covering the ground.

"We just need to figure out a place to hold the meetings and we'll be set," Jack said happily.

"But where?" Harry wondered aloud.

"The Shrieking Shack?" Ron asked.

"Too small," Jenn rejected. "The Forbidden Forest?"

"Like bloody hell," Ron argued, his deep voice cracking in fear.

"We'll figure it out, I'm sure," Hermione said confidently as they approached the Gryffindor common room.

"See you tomorrow, Jack," Ron and Harry called as they strolled through the portrait hole.

"Good night Jack," Hermione smiled before throwing Jenn a meaningful wink.

"Have a good night, Jack," Jenn smiled and turned to leave.

"Wait, Jenn," he rushed to grasp her wrist. "I was wondering if…well, if maybe…maybe you'd like to-"

"Summerby," a deep voice shouted across the corridor.

Jenn turned her attention to the tall boy approaching, a cocky sway in his step.

"You belong in your common room," he growled.

Jenn glanced up at him from beneath her lashes, his pale nostrils flared as he glared at her friend.

"It's not curfew yet, Malfoy," Jack argued, the apples of his cheeks reddening slightly.

"It's two minutes to and, seeing as how you'll never make it to your common room on time, I think it would be appropriate to serve you with a month's worth of detention.," Draco sneered at the boy, his blue eyes piercing through Jack's copper eyes.

"A month? You're off your rocker, Malfoy," Jack growled.

"Let's make it two, shall we?" Draco smirked. "You best be on your way before it's three."

Jack glared at the younger Slytherin before turning back to Jenn. He pushed his fingers through his long shaggy hair, brushing the strands out of his beautiful eyes. Without warning, he leaned down slightly, pressing his lips firmly against the warm skin of Jenn's pale cheek. She froze and her green eyes widened, a pink blush tinting her cheeks as he pulled away.

"I'll see you tomorrow, Jenn," Jack said quietly.

He threw one final glare at the Slytherin before turning on his heels and strolling away. Jenn pushed her fingers through her silky hair and closed her eyes as she rubbed her temples with her index fingers. She wondered how Jack could have possibly gotten the wrong idea about their relationship. Yes, they had spent every day together for the past month, but Jenn did not intend for things to escalate between them. She shook her head to herself and opened her eyes.

For a moment, she had forgotten Draco was standing with her in the corridor. She raised her eyebrow, wondering why he hadn't said anything to her or even looked in her direction since he strode over. She followed his harsh glare as he stared after Jack's retreating figure, his fingers balling into strong fists at his sides. His tense muscles seemed to relax for a moment, and Jenn lowered her brow.

"You're staring, Rivers," his smooth voice said as he turned to smirk at her.

"I…uh, I suppose I should thank you," Jenn said quietly, her emerald eyes darting around the hall.

"Oh? What for?" Draco smirked, flicking stray strands of blonde hair from his eyes.

"For interrupting," Jenn replied. "You saved me the trouble of letting him down easy."

"Is that so? I figured you'd be happy to accept his advances," Draco said, an evident bitterness creeping into his voice.

"I'm not interested," Jenn defended, though she was unsure as to why she felt it necessary to assure him of that fact.

"Have your eye on someone else, then?" Draco persisted, stepping the tiniest bit closer to her.

"Perhaps," she replied, fingering a loose wave hanging over her shoulder. "Thanks for returning my wand a few weeks back, Malfoy."

As the blonde opened his mouth to reply, Jenn stepped through the portrait hole, swinging the Fat Lady shut behind her. She ran her fingers through her hair, wondering what had come over her. Was she honestly just flirting with Draco Malfoy?

"Well?" Hermione grinned as soon as Jenn entered the dormitory.

"Well what?" Jenn asked as she kicked her shoes off.

"How'd it go?" Hermione pushed. "With Jack?"

"Nothing happened," Jenn replied, tugging her jeans down her legs. "And I'd like for it to stay that way."

"What? You don't like him?" Hermione asked, popping herself up on her elbows from beneath her warm covers.

"You know I like Harry," Jenn stated. "Jack's just a good friend."

"You've barely spent any time with Harry since school started," Hermione argued cautiously.

"He's barely spent any time with any of us, Hermione," Jenn defended. "He's changed since...the tournament."

"That is true, but being so, how can you say you still fancy him and be certain of it?" Hermione questioned.

"I don't know," Jenn replied. "I guess I've just fancied him for so long that I don't notice anybody else in that way. Does that make any sense?"

"I'm not the best person to ask to be perfectly honest," Hermione frowned, "but I don't think that that's any way to live. Just because you've gotten used to liking Harry from afar doesn't mean you shouldn't be aware of other options."

Jenn nodded thoughtfully.

"Like Jack, for example," Hermione smirked.

"He's a friend, Hermione," Jenn growled as she lifted her shirt over her head.

"A very attractive friend who's definitely interested in you," Hermione countered.

"It doesn't matter. I don't see him that way," Jenn yawned and climbed beneath her own covers.

"You could if you tried," Hermione said smartly.

The following morning, Jenn got ready for her day and made more of an effort than usual to look nice. She hiked her pleated skirt up her thighs, rolling the waistband to reveal more of her toned creamy legs. She tightened her white button down to hug her curves closely and stepped into her favorite black heels. She fastened her scarlet and gold tie loosely around her neck and twisted one of her raven curls around her fingers. After applying a perfect smoky eye, she painted a thin layer of dark red lipstick over her plump lips.

"What's the occasion, Jennie?" Ginny asked as Jenn sat down beside her at the Gryffindor table for breakfast.

"There isn't one," Jenn smiled, taking a sip of her morning coffee.

Ginny smirked and shook her head at Jenn, biting into a buttered roll. Hermione, Ron and Harry joined them soon after, each gawking at Jenn's ensemble.

"Jenn, you look fantastic," Harry complimented.

"You're breaking dress code with your five inch heels, Jennelle," Hermione reprimanded, her cheeks bright red.

"Oh, come on, Hermione. She looks great," Harry defended, gulping down his pumpkin juice.

"Listen, I'm all for you finding options and impressing Jack, but this is not how you have to do it, Jennelle," Hermione whispered in her ear.

"It's not for Jack, Hermione," Jenn argued. "You told me to be aware of my options, so I'm trying to see exactly how many I have."

"You're going to attract the wrong kind of attention," Hermione warned.

Jenn shrugged her shoulders and rose to her feet. She swung her school robes over her shoulder along with her rucksack and smiled down at her friends.

"I'm off to Defense with the toad. I'll see you lot at dinner," Jenn waved goodbye and exited the Great Hall, fully aware that all eyes were on her.

Her high heels clicked against the stone floor as she strolled to the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom. She took her seat and crossed one knee over the other, swinging her dangling leg over the floor. It didn't take long for the Hufflepuff and Gryffindor boys to swarm her table and she even caught a few Slytherins glancing her way over their shoulders from the dark corners of the room.

"You look great, Jenn."

"Lookin' good, Rivers."

"Is this seat taken?" a familiar voice rang in her ears.

"Only by you, Jack," Jenn smiled brightly as her friend plopped into the seat beside her.

"Looks like I've got some competition," Jack joked, but Jenn caught the seriousness in his words. "I'm not going to have to duel anybody for your attention, am I, Jenn?"

Jenn laughed melodically and shook her head. As Professor Umbridge entered the room, Jenn rolled her eyes and drummed her fingers against the tabletop. The toad instructed the class to copy the approved text for 'maximum retention' during the entire class period. Jenn scribbled the words for approximately fifteen minutes before growing incredibly bored. She knew she was posing a distraction for her male classmates and decided to have fun with the newfound attention.

"Is it hot in here?" she whispered loudly, leaning closer to Jack.

He shrugged his shoulders before glancing over at her from beneath his shaggy brown hair. His copper eyes widened as he and his classmates watched her pop open the top two buttons of her shirt, revealing a generous amount of cleavage. Jack's jaw nearly fell to the table. He was bitterly certain that he was not the only one enjoying the view of her black lace bra as it peeked out ever so slightly from beneath her shirt. Jenn slid her fingers along the thin chain of her silver locket, toying with the oval pendant dangling down her chest.

"Miss Rivers," Umbridge called, her high pitched voice tinged with fury.

"Yes, Professor?" Jenn asked sweetly.

"I must insist that you close your shirt and put on your school robes, Miss Rivers," Professor Umbridge urged.

"I can't do that, Professor. I'm feeling awfully hot at the moment," Jenn declined, a devious sparkle in her emerald eyes.

Jenn watched through her peripherals as the boys stared at her lustfully, drool dripping down their chins. Her female classmates stared at her in wonder, some in hatred, and waited curiously to see their professor's reaction.

"Jennelle, put on your robe," Umbridge ordered in her sickly sweet voice.

"No thank you," Jenn growled back.

"Now!" Umbridge shouted.

Jenn, not one to handle authority well, whipped her wand out of her backpack. She rose to her feet in a flash and aimed her wand with a steady hand. In the blink of an eye, her school robes that sat in a heap on her desk were engulfed in roaring flames. Jack scrambled to his feet with his belongings and backed away from the ball of fire, his eyes wide in surprise and a shocked smile painted on his lips. Jenn glared over the flames at the Professor dressed in pink from head to toe, the golden glow burning in her emerald eyes.

"Detention, Rivers!" Umbridge shrieked as she pointed her own wand.

Without a word, Umbridge put out the flames and removed the black ashes from the desk. Jenn slowly lowered herself into her seat, maintaining eye contact as she did so. The toad-woman turned to walk back to her desk and Jenn smirked to herself. She heard Jack chuckle from beside her and she tilted her head to glance at him, flashing one of her stunning smiles his way. He grinned back, showing off his gleaming white teeth, and shook his head at her.

"Again, Jennelle? Are you serious?" Hermione cried, slamming her books down on the dining table.

"It's been months since I've had a detention, Hermione," Jenn defended.

"Exactly! You had been doing so well," Hermione growled. "And your antics that brought detention upon you were beyond inappropriate."

"I was just having a laugh, Mione," Jenn muttered, growing increasingly irritated with Hermione's mother-hen routine.

"It was a lovely show if I do say so myself," Jack laughed.

"Wish I could've been there," Seamus winked from his seat across from Jenn while Dean nodded his head slowly.

"Don't encourage her!" Hermione scolded. "Detention with Umbridge isn't a joke, Jennelle. You saw what she did to Harry."

"And she'll likely do the same to me, I know that," Jenn shrugged, taking a bite out of a sparkling crimson apple.

"You lot should have seen her face. I swear steam was coming out of her ears," Jack said, a barking laugh erupting from his throat.

"Brilliant," Ron laughed loudly.

"I can't believe you all," Hermione growled, thumping Ron on the back of the head with one of her countless textbooks.

"I have to agree with Hermione, Jenn. Umbridge doesn't mess around when it comes to punishment," Harry said grimly as he flashed the scarred back of his hand.

"I can handle it, trust me," Jenn said calmly. "I'd better go, though. Don't want to be late. She might turn me into a toad like herself!"

The crowd laughed as they watched Jenn bounce out of the Great Hall. Although she had received a detention for her actions, Jenn felt very accomplished. She wanted to see all of her options, and she had. Boys fell over each other to occupy the seat beside her, or walk her to her next lesson, or sit beside her at lunch. She had never noticed how many of them were interested. Granted she had gone all out and spruced herself up more than usual, but attention is attention regardless.

"Ah, Miss Rivers, right on time," Professor Umbridge said, gesturing towards the open seat inside of her office.

Jenn cringed as she sat down and allowed her eyes to scan the little room. The professor had changed the wall paper to a ghastly pink and hung up paintings and portraits of mewing kittens on every inch. She shook her head and rolled her eyes at the putrid décor.

"You'll be writing lines for me tonight, Jennelle," Umbridge explained. "You will write, 'I must behave like a lady,' until I dismiss you."

"How fitting," Jenn almost laughed.

Umbridge handed her one of her 'special' quills, and Jenn began writing the lines as neatly as she could. It didn't take long for the back of her left hand to begin stinging. She narrowed her eyes as she wrote the message over and over again, wincing as her fingers spastically twitched. Jenn felt as though a dagger were carving the words into her milky skin. The burning was becoming unbearable, but she refused to give Umbridge the satisfaction of crying out in pain. She had been at it for two hours by the time Umbridge allowed her to leave, and she leapt to her feet and exited the room quickly.

Jenn was the only student in the corridors as she walked back to the Gryffindor common room. Umbridge had kept her ten minutes past curfew, most likely hoping she would be caught out of bed. Her high heels tapped against the stone, echoing through the empty hallway, and she rubbed the drying blood off the back of her hand. A high pitched 'meow' caught her attention, and she cursed Umbridge for allowing her creepy cats to haunt her brain. But the pitter patter of tiny paws on stone brought Jenn back to reality. Filch's demon cat, Mrs. Norris, was trotting alongside her, which could only mean one thing: Filch was close. Jenn rolled her eyes in exasperation and picked up her pace to get away from the purring cat.

"Who's there? Students out of bed!" Filch's voice croaked through the corridor, and Jenn broke into a run.

Her heels banged on the stone, leaving an easy to follow trail behind her as she ran away from Filch and his cat. If she ran straight to the common room, Filch would know it was a Gryffindor out of bed and he would enforce higher security around their tower at nightfall. She kept sprinting past the staircase that would lead to the Gryffindor tower, surprising herself with her newfound coordination. Over her panting, she could hear Filch awkwardly bounding after her. She began to accept her defeat and felt her body begin to slow down. A yelp escaped her lips as a firm hand clutched her by her upper arm and tugged her into a hidden alcove, concealed by black shadows.

A warm hand fell over her lips as she breathed heavily. Her back was pressed against the stranger's hard body, his free arm wrapped around her torso, holding her securely. Her eyes widened as Filch limped by, dragging his bum leg behind him as he ran past their hiding spot with Mrs.' Norris trotting beside him. The pair waited a moment to be sure Filch was far enough away before the stranger slackened his hold. She sighed in relief and turned to thank her savior, still wrapped within his wing.

His striking blue eyes, the very ones that haunt her dreams, stared back down at her in the dark corner. Her bright green eyes widened at the realization as the toes of her high heels touched the tips of his shoes.

"You're welcome, Rivers," he said quietly. "Second time I saved you from a terrible fate."

"Yeah, I guess I owe you one, Malfoy," Jenn muttered, her eyes narrowing into slits as he smirked down at her.

"You're out of bed past curfew again, Rivers," Draco noted.

"I was heading back from detention with Umbridge," Jenn admitted, showing him her mutilated hand.

"Ah, yes I heard about the little show you put on today," Draco recalled, grimacing as he examined the markings. "Was this all to get under her skin?"

Draco's eyes surveyed Jenn's body shamelessly, and she ran her fingers through her long hair. She locked her leg, popping out her hip and crossed her arms beneath her swollen chest.

"No, that was just an added bonus," she said smartly.

"Then what was your intention?" he asked curiously.

"I wanted to attract attention. Apparently I have a good amount of options in front of me," Jenn replied, twisting her raven curl around her index finger.

"Is that so?" he asked, his voice dropping an octave lower.

Jenn had almost forgotten his arm snaked around her waist until he absentmindedly pulled her body a fraction of an inch closer to his. She raised her sculpted eyebrow up her forehead and glanced up at his icy eyes.

"Jealous, Malfoy?" she teased, pulling her bottom lip slightly between her straight teeth.

"You have no idea," he admitted, the lustful tone she had heard from him once before seeping back into his voice.

This time, though, Jenn was not caught off guard by the roughness in his voice. She was anticipating his next move, waiting for him to bow his head to hers. And when his lips latched onto hers, she was ready to kiss him back.


	4. Chapter 4

*****Thanks for reading! This is a suuuuper long one, hence the wait (sorry about that) A lot goes down in this chapter. Please REVIEW! I want to know what you guys think!*****

**Fire and Rain**

Chapter four

Jenn strolled down the buzzing corridor the following morning with an uncharacteristic pep in her step. She confidently swayed her hips and swung her arms at her sides as she trotted into the Great Hall for breakfast. Several of her classmates craned their necks to peek at her and she smiled brightly back at them, batting her thick black eyelashes as she did so. She took a seat at the Gryffindor table beside Harry and grinned widely at the golden trio.

"Morning," she chirped cheerily.

"Morning," Hermione replied, a skeptical edge in her voice.

"What's got you all chipper this morning?" Ron asked crankily at Hermione's immediate right while he rubbed his tired blue eyes.

"It's a beautiful day, isn't it?" Jenn beamed, ignoring Ron's question.

"Are you feeling alright?" Harry asked, eyeing her up and down briefly.

"Peachy," Jenn smiled again.

"Who are you, and what have you done with my Jennelle?" Harry asked as he theatrically pressed the palm of his warm hand against her forehead.

Jenn giggled and playfully swatted his hand away, her heart fluttering at his possessive words; what she wouldn't give to be _his _Jennelle. She shook her head, grinning still, and took a generous bite out of a slice of buttered toast. Her green eyes lazily surveyed the dining hall and she noticed countless pairs of eyes intently focused on her despite the fact that she had elected to return to her normal attire consisting of the ugly pleated skirt, plain button down shirt and her infamous black and white Converse sneakers. She smiled bashfully and felt heat rise in her cheeks at the immense attention, waving her fingers at a particularly attractive boy at the Ravenclaw table. The stranger winked back at her before turning back to his friends, and Jenn focused back on her breakfast, allowing a veil of black hair to conceal her beautiful face.

Feeling a set of eyes scorching through the top of her skull, she swallowed a mouthful of eggs and lifted her gaze in search of the predator. Staring back at her from across the hall were the eyes she had grown far too familiar with. Jenn had honestly believed he would ignore her, pretending their endeavor in that blackened alcove had never occurred. She was shocked to find his eyes trained so carefully on her that he could probably see the few strands of hair that blew around her face as she inhaled and exhaled, and she stiffened beneath his fierce gaze, a chill creeping steadily up her spine. As she looked into those icy blue orbs, the scene flashed in front of her again. So vividly that she could almost feel his soft hair between her fingers, and feel his moist lips moving against hers. She could taste his minty tongue gliding against hers, intertwining in an intricate knot within her mouth. Jenn held his stare as long as she could, focused on keeping her face from betraying her emotions and she parted her lips, allowing an awkwardly shaky breath to pass through.

For a moment, she caught herself wondering if Hermione's words had any truth to them. She wondered if her bushy-headed friend was right, and Jenn did not truly fancy Harry anymore. Perhaps she was more in love with the idea of him than she actually was with him himself. Jenn furrowed her brow as she contemplated the possibility, biting down on her bottom lip lightly. Had she really been lying to herself all this time?

"Jenn? Hello! Are you in there?"

Harry's elbow prodded her ribs and Jenn nearly fell off the bench. He raised his thick eyebrows in question and Jenn glanced around at her friends' confused faces.

"What was that?" Jenn asked, raising her coffee mug to her glossy lips.

Hermione watched her through narrowed eyes, a wrinkle forming between her eyebrows in concentration. Jenn avoided her watchful stare by focusing her emerald eyes on Harry's profile, watching the strong muscle in his jaw tighten and relax as he chewed.

"Hermione asked how your detention went last night," Ginny's voice spoke softly.

Jenn hadn't even noticed the younger girl sit down with them. She was far too distracted by the blue eyes gazing at her from beneath the green and silver banner. Jenn fought the temptation burning inside of her like the blazing embers of a fire to glance his way once more.

"It went…exactly as expected," Jenn muttered grumpily.

"Let's see it," Ginny urged, an angry glint shimmering in her bright brown eyes.

Jenn glanced around at her friends, their eyes wide with a dangerous mix of curiosity and disgust. She reluctantly placed her palm against the cool wood of the table and flexed her short fingers, displaying her maimed hand for them to see. Ginny gasped audibly and an odd snort of repulsion erupted from the back of Hermione's throat. Ron choked on his pumpkin juice and began sputtering uncontrollably, tiny droplets dribbling down his chin. Harry's fingers latched around Jenn's so quickly that she jumped a little bit, and he tugged her hand towards him.

"Jennie…" Ginny said in wonder.

"She's gone too far," Harry growled through his straight teeth unable to tear his eyes from Jenn's hand.

"She did the same to you, Harry. What makes me any different?" Jenn asked, squeezing her fingers around his the slightest bit.

"Because you're…I'm…you don't," Harry stammered.

"I'm what?" Jenn asked with a small frown tugging at her lips as Harry dropped her hand. "I'm not fragile, Harry."

"I know you're not. But you're Jennelle. You're not supposed to be treated this way," Harry said sadly as he gently stroked around the gash in her skin with his thumb.

"And you're Harry. You don't deserve to be treated this way either," Jenn replied.

"But I'm used to it, Jenn," Harry mumbled gloomily.

"Was it really painful?" Ron asked curiously.

"Yes," Jenn answered honestly, fully aware of the grimace crossing Harry's face as she did so. "But I'm fine."

"We're lucky Neville's found a spot for our meetings," Ginny said as she pushed her auburn hair out of her face.

"He has?" Jenn asked, a new excitement coursing through her veins.

"Yeah, he found the Room of Requirement," Harry replied, his eyes flashing towards her hand.

"Wicked! When are we starting, then?" Jenn asked, tucking her hand beneath the sleeve of her robe.

"Soon. Tomorrow night, maybe," Harry suggested.

The others nodded and Jenn smiled dazzlingly.

"If Umbridge catches us…" Ginny whispered.

"We'll be dead," Ron finished grimly.

"Come on, you lot. We'd all have matching tattoos," Jenn joked.

She playfully ruffled Harry's messy hair with her finger as she snickered, but her joke did not strike any laughter amongst the group. Instead, their sad eyes were trained on her face waiting for her radiant smile to falter. She shifted her eyes before her smile could fall from her painted lips and she surveyed the room for a distraction. She tried to catch Jack's eye from his seat at the Hufflepuff table, but his bronze eyes were focused fiercely on Harry. Jack grinded his teeth together as he glared at The-Boy-Who-Lived, and he stabbed his fork through a piece of breakfast sausage. He must have felt eyes on him, for he turned his hateful stare towards Jenn, softening his eyes immensely. She wrinkled her eyebrows, silently questioning the look that had been etched on his handsome face, but he only smiled back.

She pursed her lips together and turned away from his bright grin. She was confident in glancing towards Malfoy, feeling certain that he would be looking her way. To her dismay, his blue eyes were trained on Harry as well. His glare, however, put Jack's to shame. He glowered so violently at Harry that Jenn could not fathom that he did not feel Malfoy's eyes scorching his face. Jenn watched Malfoy's pale nostrils flare at the end of his pointed nose. The muscle in his strong jaw twitched repeatedly as he clenched his teeth together. His eyes darted to Jenn's, but his loathing stare did not cease. He threw daggers at her, one after the next, until his attention was pulled away by a small brunette at his side.

Jenn watched the brunette nuzzle her nose into the crook of Malfoy's pale neck. She pecked his throat with her thin pink lips and brushed his blond hair off his forehead. Malfoy sneered down at the girl and whispered something in her ear, smirking in satisfaction as she giggled and batted her thin eyelashes at him. His icy eyes swiveled towards Jenn and he smirked cruelly back at her.

"Jenn!" Ginny cried.

"Bloody hell, what'd that fork ever do to you?" Ron asked while Harry cautiously pried the silverware from Jenn's trembling fist.

Jenn shook her head to herself and glanced around her circle of friends. Ginny was grinning almost identically to her brother, each staring in amusement at the fork in Harry's hand that had been bent into a silver ninety degree angle. Harry raised his eyebrows at her before allowing a bark-like laugh to pass between his lips. Jenn glanced up into Hermione's brown eyes, cowering under her thoughtful stare. The blonde pursed her lips and tugged her eyebrows together in deliberation. Jenn chewed the inside of her cheek and leapt to her feet, suddenly eager to be far away from her friends, Hermione in particular.

"Off to class! Have a good day, everyone," Jenn smiled and waved at her friends.

Having left breakfast so early, she expected to arrive at Transfigurations before anybody else. But as she found herself being tugged into a broom cupboard by her wrist, she could only hope she arrived to class on time. She stumbled over a couple of brooms and her own two feet, straight into the sturdy chest of her capturer. She lifted her eyes as they adjusted to the darkness of the cupboard and glared up at him.

"What do you want?" Jenn spat, steadying herself and stepping away from him quickly.

She moved as far away from him as she could, but even then, only an inch of space was left in between herself and the Slytherin Prince. She pressed her back against the uneven brick wall and waited for him to speak. But he only glared down at her, watching the anger flare in her emerald eyes.

"Why did you drag me in here, Malfoy?" Jenn asked dully.

He held his tongue and stepped closer, his unwavering eyes locked on hers. She held her breath as his fingers tugged her rucksack from her shoulder, dropping it to the floor beside his with a heavy thud. His fingers boldly slid their way around her waist and Jenn caught herself wondering if this was really happening…again. Was Draco Malfoy really shut away in a broom closet with her? Was he truly trailing his fingers along the curve of her waist and swaying their weight as he shifted closer to her. Her brain worked hard to convince her that it was not real, and that she was simply having some sort of bizarre fantasy.

But his calloused fingers caressing the soft skin of her neck felt far too familiar for it to simply be a dream. She could not possibly be imagining his lips continuously pressing against her jaw, slowly making their way down her throat. No, she was absolutely positive she was not dreaming, and that Draco Malfoy, her sworn nemesis, was snogging her for the second time in twenty-four hours.

"Why are you in here with me, Malfoy?" Jenn breathed in his ear as he continued to suck and nibble the skin of her neck.

"You were staring, Rivers," Malfoy said against her neck. "All through breakfast."

"Not at you, Malfoy," Jenn remarked.

"Yes, you did look awfully comfortable at Potter's side," Malfoy spat before biting down on the thin skin covering her collarbone.

"And you appeared to be quite cozy yourself," Jenn said bitterly.

She could have sworn she heard him chuckle against her neck, and when he pulled away to look at her, the ghost of a smile was still playing at his lips.

"With Parkinson, you mean?" he scoffed. "I'm sure you're aware of our history, Rivers."

"Vaguely," Jenn admitted bitterly as she recalled the rumors she had heard of Malfoy and Parkinson's scandalous rendezvous.

"Intimidated are we?" Malfoy smirked triumphantly.

"Not in the slightest," Jenn defended, a thin eyebrow raised involuntarily.

"No? Why is that, Rivers?" he inquired, pressing the front of his body to hers, molding them together.

"You're in here with _me_, Malfoy," she smirked up at him.

His eyes narrowed a bit and his fingers dug into her hips, pulling her as close as he possibly could. Jenn flashed a wicked smirk at him before allowing him to capture her lips in an intense kiss. Much like the night before, his kisses were hungry and lustful as he pinned her against the stone wall. Although she was losing breath quickly, Jenn continued to kiss him back with just as much force. She pulled at his silky blonde locks, clutching a fistful at the nape of his neck. She arched her back as his hands groped her sides, feeling the heat from his body radiate onto hers.

Their lips moved steadily in sync to the fast paced rhythm Malfoy had created. Jenn skillfully tilted her head from time to time, changing the angle of their movements. It didn't take long for his tongue to glide against her bottom lip, thriving for entrance. Jenn smirked through the kiss and declined, satisfied when a deep growl rattled in the back of Malfoy's throat. He pushed his body against hers harder and nipped at her lip until she could not suppress her pleasure any longer. A soft moan, an airy sound completely foreign to her, slipped from Jenn's mouth into Malfoy's, and he expertly slipped his tongue between her lips.

She had, unknowingly, released a floodgate of sound with that audible breath. As their tongues danced around each other's in exploration, they left her mouth one after the next. The burning sensation in her abdomen felt strange and unusual, something she had never experienced before. It wasn't painful, exactly. No, pain was not the correct word to describe the hot sensation bubbling inside of her. It was uncomfortable. She felt as if her body was yearning for something, as if it needed something to quench its thirst.

The more he kissed her, the more she enjoyed it, Draco could hear as much. The breathy moans leaving her swollen lips etched into his memory, and he yearned to hear them again. Listening to her pleasure sent him into frenzy and he was desperate to hear more. Every breath she breathed had a different sound, a new pitch, singing a wonderful song just for him as her trembling fingers clutched his strong biceps.

Jenn's fingers absentmindedly dragged down Malfoy's hard chest to his equally rigid abdomen. She felts the ripples of his muscles beneath her fingertips. The burning grew more intense. Without thinking, she began loosening his tie from his neck and she clumsily fumbled with the buttons of his school shirt. He clutched her to him, harder than before, before pulling away suddenly. Jenn's staggered breathing came out in huffs similar to his as they simply stared at each other for a moment.

She watched as he fastened his tie once more and closed to two buttons Jenn had shockingly managed to pop open. He ran his thick fingers through his hair a couple of times, smoothing down the tangled mess she had made, and he wiped the corners of his lips. His eyes flickered towards her and Jenn looked away bashfully and began tidying herself up, as well.

She adjusted her grey skirt around her smooth thighs, tucking in her white button down once more. She combed her fingers through her raven curls, sweeping her fringe out of her striking eyes. All the while, she was fully aware his eyes were fixed on her, and she pulled her lip between her straight teeth. She watched him bend down to grab the strap of his bag, swinging it over his shoulder. Jenn almost let a smile grace her lips when he handed her rucksack over to her.

He nodded his blonde head towards the door and Jenn stepped towards it carefully. She opened it just a crack and peeked through the opening until she was certain the coast was clear. She hopped out of the broom cupboard, patting down her hair one last time, and hurried towards McGonagall's classroom. Jenn sat down in her seat feeling a bit lightheaded and ran her fingers through her long hair. She twisted a lock around her finger and attempted to slow her breathing to a normal rate, but her efforts were futile. As soon as Draco Malfoy swept into the room and took the seat beside her, her breathing practically stopped. She ignored him as he smirked to himself, seeming to have noticed Jenn's frazzled demeanor. Jenn closed her eyes and focused all of her attention on her breathing until Professor McGonagall morphed from her cat-form into her human skin.

"Settle down," the professor commanded, and her students fell silent instantaneously. "Today, we will be working on vanishing spells."

The class whispered and murmured to each other in excitement. Professor McGonagall allowed the chatter for a moment before tapping her wand against her large desk to get the students' attention. Once all eyes were on her again, she continued on with her lecture about the complex spell.

"You will each be expected to perform a vanishing spell on the practical portion of your O.W.L. examinations. Vanishing objects is among the most difficult O.W.L. materials, so you would do well to remember what I teach you. Anyone who hopes to pursue a career as a Healer or Auror, and those who expect to take my class as sixth year students must receive no less than an 'E' on their Transfiguration O. ," Professor McGonagall said.

Jenn felt her anxiety peak. Although she had excelled in Transfigurations since she had first stepped foot in McGonagall's classroom, she was never any good at taking tests. Being an Auror was the only aspiration Jenn had for herself. She could not picture herself being a Healer, or a Ministry official, or even a professional quidditch player like Noah. She had dreamed of being an Auror since she was a little girl. The idea of serving justice and catching the evil men and women who caused misfortune to innocent people thrilled Jenn. She had been told many times by Dumbledore and even Professor Lupin in third year how talented she was, and that the Auror office would be lucky to have her working with them.

"I would like for you all to work in partners to vanish snails," Professor McGonagall said, and with a wave of her wand, a single snail appeared on each of their desks. "Vanishing invertebrate objects is far easier than vertebrates. Good luck."

With that, the class began pulling their wands from the backpacks and prepared to try the spell that was written neatly on the blackboard. Jenn stared at the word and said it over and over in her head until she was sure she had it right. She glanced at the grey snail on the table and wrinkled her nose as is left a slimy streak behind it. She raised her wand, pointing it at the slimy creature and thought of the incantation.

"Hurry up and do it already, Rivers," Malfoy growled beside her.

She glared at him, her concentration broken, and pointed her wand at him instead.

"Shove it, Malfoy, before I make you vanish," she threatened, though she was fairly certain she would not be successful if she tried.

He smirked at her and gestured towards the little critter gliding incredibly slowly across the mahogany desk. She focused back on the snail and aimed her wand carefully. She rehearsed the incantation in her mind before parting her lips slowly.

"Evanesco," she said, before she could blink, the snail disappeared before her eyes.

Jenn stared in surprise at the spot the snail had sat and smiled to herself in satisfaction.

"Dumb luck," Malfoy muttered under his breath.

"Excellent, Rivers," Professor McGonagall said proudly. "Ten points to Gryffindor."

Jenn bowed her head in thanks and smirked cockily at the pouting blonde occupying the seat beside her. He glared at the empty tabletop until Professor McGonagall waved her wand and provided them with another test subject. Jenn rested her elbow on the table and angled her body to face Malfoy's. She watched him with a smirk on her lips as his eyes flashed between the snail and the cursive on the blackboard. He pointed his wand at the snail and spoke the incantation softly, but nothing happened. The snail continued to slither slowly across the table's surface. Malfoy glared ferociously at the little creature, a sneer pulling at his lips, and he gripped his wand tighter in his pale fist. He growled the incantation and, again, the snail remained where it was.

Jenn watched him become more frustrated by the minute as he attempted the spell one last time before he slumped back in his chair, bitterly mumbling about how stupid the class was. He locked his strong arms over his broad chest and pursed his lips together angrily. He didn't dare look at Jenn while he let his frustration consume him. He was humiliated. How had she managed to vanish the snail on the first try, when he couldn't even do it on the third?

"You have to be calm when performing the spell, Malfoy," Jenn said carefully.

"I was calm the first time I tried, wasn't I?" he snapped, turning his glare onto her.

"Yes, calm and doubtful. You weren't confident in your abilities when you attempted to vanish the snail the first try," Jenn noted. "Shocking, actually, considering you're the most arrogant person I've ever met."

He scoffed and rolled his blue eyes, focusing back on the slimy thing on the desk.

"You have to be sure it's going to vanish and speak the incantation clearly and confidently. You can't lose your temper if it doesn't work right away, either," Jenn continued calmly. "Why don't you try again?"

Malfoy glanced at her, softening his gaze a fraction, and sighed in annoyance. He raised his wand and focused on the snail. He did his best to ignore Jenn's watchful eyes, but his best was not enough. As he parted his lips to speak the incantation, he glanced over at her quickly, catching her emerald eyes surveying his face. He felt his muscles tense under her stare and forced himself to turn back to the snail as the words left his lips.

"Evanesco," he said clearly.

He gave an irritated growl and pushed his fingers through his blonde hair. Jenn pulled her bottom lip between her teeth and watched him with sympathetic eyes. She glanced around the room, watching McGonagall help the other students. Some of her classmates were standing around their desks and performing the spell on their feet. Jenn decided it was worth a shot and rose to her feet.

"Up, Malfoy," she commanded.

"Why," he groaned, staring up at her through narrow blue eyes.

"I think it might help you, give you better control," she explained. "Come on, just give it a try."

He rolled his eyes before reluctantly standing up. He stood beside her and aimed his wand at the snail once more. He clutched his wand tight in his large fist, feeling the wood leave a slight imprint on his palm and he glared at the snail.

"Wait," Jenn said. "Stay still."

She was surprised he obeyed her wishes, but took advantage of his compliance while she could. She stepped behind him and laid her small hand over his forearm as she peeked around his shoulder. She lowered his wand a fraction of an inch before sliding her finger to the warm skin of his hand. She wrapped her fingers around his fist and he felt a surge of heat jolt through his entire body. Jenn glanced up at him, watching his eyes grow slightly nervous.

"You have to relax," she said, her silky voice just barely above a whisper.

She felt his body tense even more despite her requests and she sighed to herself.

"Relax, Malfoy," she urged quietly. "And stop glaring at the poor thing. You're trying to vanish it, not kill it."

He breathed deeply as he stared down at her. The top of her head barely passed his shoulder as she stood beside him, so close he could feel the heavy fabric of her skirt brushing against his pant leg. His gaze softened considerably as he watched her glide her fingertips across the back of his hand. She unexpectedly glanced up at him and smiled.

"Much better," she said before turning back to the snail. "Now, take a deep breath, memorize the incantation, and say it with conviction. You can do this, Malfoy."

He surprised himself by listening to her and he did exactly what she said. Just as the words left his lips, the snail was gone from sight. He blinked rapidly, convinced his eyes were deceiving him. But it was truly gone. He had done it. And Jennelle Rivers had helped.

"I told you," she said, raising an eyebrow at him.

She smiled up at him again. He glanced away from her emerald eyes and down to their hands.

"Your hand," he breathed, his crystal blue eyes wide.

Jenn glanced at her hand, the ugly scarlet gashes bared for all to see. She hastily released her grip on his hand, a cold sensation sweeping over his flesh. Malfoy kinked his eyebrow at her before stowing his wand into the pocket of his robes and taking his seat once more. Jenn followed suit and sat down gracefully beside him. She crossed one leg over the other and let her Converse dangle above the stone floor. The two sat in silence while McGonagall walked around the room assisting the other students with their vanishing spell. Jenn watched in boredom as the others continuously failed to perform the spell correctly before her eyes fell on the blonde boy beside her.

His blue eyes were watching her thoughtfully. Jenn faltered under his gaze and shifted her weight in her seat, angling herself towards the front of the room. She thought that catching him staring would deter him from looking at her, however his gaze only grew more intense as she turned away from him. She felt like she was under observation, and Jenn was careful not to make any movements for the rest of the class period.

"I want a foot long report on the spell we worked on today. Tell me about the benefits of such a spell and when it would be useful to know. You may include your experience with the spell if you wish. I want it on my desk by Monday morning, no exceptions," Professor McGonagall instructed before dismissing her students.

Jenn left the classroom in a hurry, eager to get away from the piercing stares Malfoy was throwing at her. She was glad to have left the Transfigurations classroom before Malfoy, relieved she didn't have to worry about being tugged into a random broom cupboard or a deserted corridor before class. She entered the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom and sat down beside Jack.

"Good morning, Jenn," Jack smiled brightly.

"What was all the glaring about this morning?" Jenn asked bluntly.

"Sorry?" he asked in confusion.

"You were obviously glaring at Harry during breakfast," Jenn stated plainly.

"Oh, that," Jack mumbled, rubbing the back of his neck nervously. "It wasn't anything person, Jenn, honest. Harry's a good bloke, I just…"

"Yes?" Jenn pressed him to continue.

"I've just noticed how close you are with him. I guess I got a bit jealous," he said sheepishly as his cheeks flushed crimson.

Before Jenn could respond, the toad cleared her throat, calling for the class' attention. Unfortunately Umbridge decided to spend the lesson lecturing her students about negotiations, claiming that there was 'no good use for a jinx.' Jenn forced herself to bite her tongue and swallow her arguments. She didn't quite fancy another night in Umbridge's torture chambers anytime soon. Thinking about the detention she had severed and the carvings in her skin reminded Jenn of her recent encounter with Malfoy. She had shown him her wounds prior to Transfigurations class, so why was he so surprised? Jenn supposed the corridor was dark the night that she had initially shown him, but why would he care? For the first time since Jenn has known him, she saw some sort of concern floating in Draco Malfoy's eyes.

Before long, the class was dismissed and Jenn was exiting the classroom with Jack at her side. He walked silently beside her and Jenn felt the awkward tension building between them. She liked Jack, he was a good friend, but she had not considered him anything even remotely more than that. Hermione had told her this was happening, but Jenn hadn't seen it herself. Now that Jack basically admitted it aloud, Jenn had no choice but to acknowledge it.

"Jack," she began.

"Don't bother, Jennie," he interrupted. "It's okay."

"What-"

"I know you don't fancy me back," he said, struggling to keep the sadness from his deep voice. "I see the way you look at Harry."

Jenn tore her eyes away from his and focused on the floor that propelled beneath them as they walked together.

"I'm sorry," she said softly. "You're a great guy, and I love spending time with you. I just…"

"It's fine. I understand what it's like to admire someone from afar for so long that nobody else even crosses your mind," he said with a meaningful glance at her.

"Yeah," Jenn said stupidly. "I hope this doesn't change anything between us."

"Not at all," he said lightly. "Come on, let's go eat."

Jenn nodded and continued walking beside him towards the Great Hall, ignoring the hoard of Slytherin girls they passed along the way. Jack smiled one last time before heading towards the Hufflepuff table and sitting down beside his friends. Jenn smiled back and made her way over towards her own table beneath the scarlet banner. She sat down beside Ginny and rested her head against her folded arms on top of the table. Hermione, seated across from her, raised her eyebrow and swallowed whatever she had been chewing.

"Alright, Jenn?" she asked, cocking her head to the side.

"I think I just drove a stake into mine and Jack's friendship," Jenn confessed grimly.

"What happened?" Ginny asked as she patted Jenn on the back.

"He told me he liked me," Jenn mumbled as she picked her head off the table.

"And…? I'm not seeing the issue here," Ginny pressed.

"I don't see him that way, and he knows it," Jenn groaned, cradling her face in the palms of her hands. "He knows I fancy Harry."

"How?" Hermione asked in surprise.

"I don't know. He said something about the way I look at him. Do I look at him like a stalker or something?" Jenn asked frantically.

"No, not at all," Hermione assured her. "Why don't you just tell him, Jenn? It's been years."

"You think I don't know that? It's complicated, Hermione, we've gone over this a hundred times," Jenn said bitterly.

"It's really not as complicated as you make it out to be," Hermione said nonchalantly.

"Yeah? How come you haven't told Ron yet, then?" Jenn snapped.

"Blimey! You fancy Ron, Hermione?" Ginny asked in a hushed whisper.

"What? No! I didn't say that," Hermione rushed.

"We all know it, Mione," Jenn rolled her eyes as she tossed a ripe strawberry into her mouth.

"Harry's not mean like Ron is though, Jenn. If you tell him and he doesn't feel the same, he wouldn't cut you out or anything," Hermione argued.

"I'm not willing to chance that," Jenn grumbled.

"I think it'd be worth it," Hermione said, desperate to have the last word.

"Wow, it's just like I imagined," Jenn breathed.

"That's kind of the point, Jennie," one of the Weasley twins teased.

"Oh, shut up. You know what I mean," she chuckled, shoving the twin away from her playfully.

The Room of Requirement. Jenn, the twins, Harry, Ron, Hermione and Neville stood in the room, basking in all of its glory. It contained bookcases lining the walls and several cushions sporadically placed around the large room. Jenn strolled further inside, envisioning the amazing lessons they would hold here beginning in just a few hours.

"Nervous, Harry?" Jenn asked quietly while the others discussed the upcoming meeting.

"A little. I don't know how to teach," Harry admitted.

"You'll be great," Jenn encouraged.

"I hope so," Harry smiled down at her.

The group waited for the rest of Dumbledore's Army to join them. An hour later, every member who had signed up was standing in a large cluster staring at Harry expectantly. Jenn stood beside a quaking Neville as they waited for Harry to speak.

"Thank you all for coming," he began nervously. "Tonight, we're going to be working on a simple disarming spell."

He searched the crowd for some sort of response, but everyone remained silent and attentive. His eyes found Jenn's and she smiled dazzlingly up at him, nodding her head reassuringly. She saw Ron a few people down from her give Harry a subtle thumbs up before Harry continued.

"Disarming your opponent is the best way to buy yourself some time in a duel. To get out of a tight spot, you can disarm your enemy and fire another spell that they can't block," Harry explained. "It's simple, really. You just aim at your target, flick your wrist, and say, 'Expelliarmus!'"

As he spoke, he performed every step for the group to see, pointing his wand at a dummy. As the incantation left his lips in a shout, the dummy's wand flew from its grip and clattered to the floor. Some of the members gasped in surprise and whispered to each other in amazement. Some whooped and clapped loudly at Harry's success with the spell.

"Right, well, I want you lot to partner up and practice the spell on each other," Harry instructed.

Dumbledore's Army did as he told them and rushed to get into position with their partners. Jenn was about to partner up with Neville, but fingers quickly captured her wrist and spun her around gently. Jack's topaz eyes sparkled as he stared down at her with a bright smile on his lips. Jenn smiled back and allowed him to pull her to a vacant spot in the huge room. She stood across from him as they raised their wands.

"Ready?" Jack asked cautiously.

"Ready," Jenn replied.

They each waited for the other to make the first move. As Jack opened his lips to shout the incantation, Jenn yelled it first and smiled when Jack's wand shot out of his hand. Jack glared at her for a second and she smiled innocently back at him.

"Better luck next time, Summerby," she teased.

Jack smirked at her before firing the spell at her without warning. Jenn's wand soared out of her hand and she glared at the grinning Hufflepuff.

"I thought Hufflepuffs were supposed to be nice," she said.

Jack grinned at her and got back into a defensive position as she readied herself. The meeting carried on this way for two hours. By the time Harry called it a night, everyone except for Neville had performed the spell with much success. Jack, having performed the last disarming spell, handed Jenn back her wand which she snatched with a pout.

"Better luck next time, Rivers," he mocked, ruffling her long hair.

"Watch it, Jack, she might bite your head off," Fred Weasley joked as he casually draped his long arm over Jenn's shoulders.

She did her best to ignore the jealous glint gleaming in Jack's bronze eyes. Jack managed a smile and turned back to Jenn.

"I'll see you tomorrow for the Hogsmeade trip, right?" he asked hopefully.

"Yeah, I'll meet you at the carriages in the morning," Jenn agreed with a smile.

"Fantastic," he grinned as he turned to walk away. "Great lesson, Harry!"

Jack clapped Harry on the back on his way out. Jenn smiled to herself, happy that everything seemed to be as normal as they had been before Jack's confession.

"Got a date, Jennie?" Fred asked teasingly.

"Our ickle Jennie's growing up, Fred," George wiped a fake tear from his eye.

"Piss off, the both of you," Jenn growled at the boys, pushing Fred's arm off of her. "It's not a date."

"He sure thinks it is," Hermione added, stepping over to Jenn and the twins.

"It's not. He knows it's not a date," Jenn said uncertainly.

"Maybe I should cancel. Say I'm sick or something," Jenn said, pacing around her dormitory the following morning.

"Jenn, you can't cancel last minute like that," Hermione argued.

"Hermione's right, Jenn, he'd be crushed," Ginny agreed.

Jenn groaned loudly and rummaged through her dresser drawers for an outfit to wear. She tugged a pair of tight dark denim jeans over her legs and stepped into a pair of knee-high black boots with a small heel. She slipped a pretty black shirt over her head, fussing with the loose ruffles until they hung perfectly over her torso. She pointed her wand at her head and her raven hair hung pin straight to the middle of her back. Jenn ran her fingers through her hair, tousling her layers around a bit, before applying a thin black line along her eyelids. After polishing her lashes with mascara, Jenn let Hermione and Ginny drag her downstairs to the common room.

She plopped down on the couch to wait for Ron and Harry and nuzzled her face into the deep purple scarf wrapped around her neck. Jenn rubbed her hands together before tucking them into the warm pockets of her black coat. Hermione leaned against the stone of the fireplace, the golden flames bouncing off her sandy blonde hair. Her brown eyes danced around the common room while she waited, and Jenn couldn't help but notice how beautiful Hermione had become since they met four years ago. She wasn't obviously pretty, but she had a very subtle and natural beauty about her that Jenn admired.

"Ready, you two?" Jenn heard and she looked away from Hermione.

Harry and Ron bounded down the stairs, each wearing a heavy sweater and their Gryffindor scarves. Harry smiled at Jenn as his feet landed on the common room floor and Ron fought his eyes from continuing to glance at Hermione. Jenn grinned at both of the boys as she rose to her feet and Hermione pried herself off the mantle.

"Yes, let's go," Hermione said with a light smile.

They four walked shoulder-to-shoulder in a long line stretching across the icy corridors once they exited the Gryffindor tower. They strolled along in a comfortable silence and Jenn did her best to ignore Harry's arm brushing against hers with every step they took.

"First quidditch match is next week," Jenn noted. "Nervous, Ron?"

"He'll be fine," Harry answered before Ron could beg to be taken off the team. "The team looks great this year, especially with Ron as keeper."

"That's great. I expect we'll be taking the Cup this year, then," Jenn smiled proudly.

"I hope so," Harry smiled back.

"First blood match just _has_ to be against Slytherin, doesn't it? Couldn't be the Hufflepuffs," Ron muttered bitterly. "Really, Harry, I don't think I'm cut out for this."

"You'll be fine, Ron. You did fantastic at tryouts," Hermione encouraged lightly.

Ron's ears burned scarlet and he smiled bashfully at her compliment. Jenn and Harry exchanged a knowing glance behind their friends' back and continued walking to the grounds. They trudged through the foot of snow covering the frozen ground and made their way towards the carriages that would take them to Hogsmeade. Jenn escorted her friends to a carriage, but did not climb in with them. Instead, her emerald eyes searched for Jack through the falling snowflakes.

"Aren't you coming, Jenn?" Harry asked from his seat.

"She's waiting for her date," Hermione teased, earning a harsh glare from Jenn.

"Date?" Harry asked with a confused stare. "What do you mean date?"

"Jack's taking her to Hogsmeade this weekend," Hermione replied casually.

"On a date?" Harry repeated, and Jenn's heart soared at the slightly jealous tone in his deep voice.

"It's not a date," Jenn said softly. "At least, I didn't think it was when he asked me to go."

"You can be so thick sometimes, Jenn," Hermione chuckled. "There's lover boy, now."

Jenn followed the nod of Hermione's head to see Jack flashing his straight white teeth as he fought against the snow around his feet. Jenn smiled back and waved her fingers to him before turning back to her friends.

"I guess I better go. Maybe we'll catch up with you lot later on, then," Jenn suggested, and Hermione nodded down at her.

"Have fun," Ron teased, flinching when Jenn threw a wad of wet snow at his face.

Jenn glanced at Harry who stared at his hands in his lap with an unreadable expression on his face before walking to meet Jack. She waited at the next carriage for him to reach her. When he did, he threw his arms around her and hugged her tight to his chest. If Jenn had not been led to believe this outing was something more than friendly, she would not have thought anything of the embrace. But thanks to Hermione, she felt awkward in Jack's arms. When he finally released her, Jenn forced a smile and allowed him to help her into the carriage.

"So I thought we'd start the day at Zonko's and then make our way towards Honey Duke's and then we could finish off with lunch and butterbeers at The Three Broomsticks," Jack suggested as he sat down in the seat across from her.

"That sounds great," Jenn smiled. "Would you mind stopping by the quidditch shop? I want to pick up Harry and Ron's Christmas gifts while we're here."

"Sure, what'd you get them?" Jack asked, and Jenn could easily see the sparkle in his eye had somewhat deflated.

"I got Harry some practice snitches and new gloves. And I may have gone a little overboard on Ron, but I ordered him a new broom," Jenn said.

"A new broom? That's a bit much, no?" Jack asked with a light smile.

"Ron made the Gryffindor quidditch team as keeper. So, to show him how proud I am of him, I thought I'd spring for a new broomstick. It's a lot, but I know he'll appreciate it," Jenn nodded her head to herself as she spoke.

"You're a great friend," Jack observed. "So what do I get for Christmas?"

Jenn laughed as Jack wiggled his eyebrows at her.

"What would you like for Christmas, Jack?" she asked.

"I don't care, as long as it's from you," Jack smiled.

Jenn mirrored his smile and moved her eyes from his. The carriage came to a slow stop, and the pair stood up and hopped out of the cart. Jenn's boots stomped through the snow and she was extremely grateful when they hit the streets of Hogsmeade that had been removed of all snow and slush. She walked beside Jack towards Zonko's and thanked him when he held the door open for her. Jenn wasn't the least bit surprised to see the Weasley twins talking animatedly to Zonko towards the back of the store. The boys' eyes were wide and bright as they listened to whatever it was Zonko was sharing with them.

Jenn shopped around the store with Jack hot on her tail the entire time and she struggled to hide her annoyance. Despite her growing irritation, the trip to Zonko's wasn't entirely wasted. Jenn had decided to buy Fred and George a ridiculous amount of fireworks, in the hopes that they'd make good use of them perhaps by torturing Umbridge with them somehow. After she paid for the loot, Jack took the bag off the counter and carried it for her. Perhaps there was a time when Jenn would have found the action sweet, but it just irked her now. He was trying way too hard for her affection, and Jenn was losing her patience quickly.

By the time they arrived at Honey Duke's, Jenn was nearly ready to ditch Jack completely. She cursed herself for being so compassionate as she remained by his side.

"Would you like any sweets or anything?" he asked as he filled a small bag with different kinds of fudge.

"No, thank you, I'm alright," Jenn declined with a smile.

"Okay, I'll be quick. I just want to pick up some things for my sister. She loves this stuff," he rolled his eyes with a smile gracing his lips.

"I didn't know you had a sister," Jenn said.

"Yeah, her name's Ashley. She's six," Jack said as he began filling a second bag with taffy. "She's a terror, a right monster if you ask me."

Jenn laughed and Jack chuckled as he recalled memories with his baby sister.

"But you love her, nonetheless," Jenn stated firmly.

"Of course, she's the only sibling I've got," Jack smiled sadly. "She had a twin brother, but he didn't make it."

"That's awful. I'm so sorry," Jenn said sincerely.

"Ah it's alright. It made me appreciate Ashley even more," he said, a sad smile on his face. "Anyway, let me pay for all of this and then we can head off. You sure you don't want anything?"

Jenn shook her head and Jack headed towards the busy register. She smiled to herself, recalling the way Jack's copper eyes gleamed when he spoke of his sister. Perhaps Jenn was wrong about him, and he wasn't pushy or overbearing. Maybe Jack really was just that nice of a person. He was a perfect gentleman the whole day, he didn't make any uninvited advances, he opened doors for her left and right, and he offered to buy her whatever she wanted. So why was Jenn so determined to keep him at arm's length?

"Want lunch, now?" Jack asked once he returned to her side.

"Sure," Jenn accepted.

The pair strolled through the snow-covered village, the cold breeze nipping at their noses all the way. When they finally reached The Three Broomsticks, Jenn was not surprised in the slightest at how packed it was. Jack spoke quietly to the hostess, who led them to a table towards the back of the pub. She placed a menu down on the table, flashed Jack a flirty smile, and strutted her way back to her station.

"She likes you," Jenn said nonchalantly as her eyes scanned the menu.

"Nah," Jack denied.

"She does, I could tell," Jenn assured him.

"It does not matter," Jack dismissed.

Jenn could see on his face that he wished to say more, but decided against it. Jenn breathed a silent sigh of relief and continued to decide what she wished to eat for lunch. When the waitress arrived, a thin blonde woman no more than five years older than them, Jack ordered two butterbeers and fish and chips. Jenn ordered the same and shifted her weight in her seat to remove her jacket and scarf. She felt eyes on her as she slipped the coat from her arms, but when she peeked across the table at Jack, she found his eyes were focused intently on something to the left of her. Jenn subtly turned her head over her shoulder and understood the angry vein jutting out of Jack's throat.

Draco Malfoy's striking blue eyes of ice stared into her emerald eyes with an intensity she had never known before. He trapped her in his gaze for much longer than she had intended, and when she turned back to Jack, he was seething. He gritted his teeth together as he continued to glare at Malfoy, hoping to intimidate him, which Jenn knew was impossible to do. Against her better judgment, Jenn glanced back to the Slytherin surrounded by his mediocre friends. His attention was, now fixed on Jack, and he glared steadily at the Hufflepuff, a blonde eyebrow raised on his forehead in a challenging manner. Jenn could feel Jack bouncing on the ball of his feet, shaking one leg as he tried to remain as calm and in control as possible. Eager to diffuse the tension, Jenn slid her hand across the table and gripped Jack's quaking fingers without thinking.

He jumped as her frigid fingers closed around his hot ones, and his anger seemed to melt away quickly. He folded her fingers inside of his and smiled at her, any trace of fury his eyes had held morphed into a mixture of wonder and desire. Jenn managed to smile back at him before the waitress came back with their orders, giving Jenn a much needed excuse to pull her hand from Jack's.

They ate their meals with light conversation and Jenn managed to fight off the urge to glance back at the rowdy Slytherins. Jack paid the bill, despite Jenn's forceful protests, and they exited the pub. Jenn was extremely aware of Malfoy's presence as well as his penetrating stare following her as she left with Jack. Jack stuffed his hands inside the pockets of his black hooded sweatshirt and Jenn burrowed the lower half of her face into her scarf.

"It's getting pretty late," Jack noted. "We should start heading back."

"I wanted to go to the quidditch shop," Jenn reminded him.

"Oh, right," his teeth chattered.

"You can go back to the castle. I won't be long," Jenn smiled.

"I shouldn't leave you here alone," Jack said, glancing around the much less crowded village nervously.

"I'll be fine, I'm a big girl," Jenn chuckled lightly. "Go on, I'll see you when I get back."

"You're sure?" he asked.

"Yes, go," Jenn replied.

She waved as Jack turned to walk towards the carriages. Jenn turned on her heel and walked towards the quidditch store. She tucked her hands inside her pockets for warmth and blinked through the heavily falling flakes of white snow. There weren't many people left walking around Hogsmeade, Jenn noticed, and it seemed as though all of her classmates besides the Slytherins in the pub had gone back to the castle already. She strolled at a leisurely pace along the empty streets, the quidditch shop finally coming into view, until she was yanked into a dimly lit alleyway.

"Damn you, Malfoy! Stop doing that!" Jenn cried, smacking his bicep.

"You went on a date," he stated obviously.

"What's it to you, Malfoy?" she asked, adding her infamous eyebrow raise.

He glared down at her, a piercing stare she didn't hesitate to mirror.

"You really are thick, aren't you?" he asked through his teeth.

"Excuse me?" she growled.

"I thought you'd catch on, but apparently I overestimated your intelligence, Rivers," he spat.

"I'm not stupid, Malfoy. But I will admit, I have not the slightest idea what you're going on about," she seethed, balling her fingers into fists at her sides.

"How do you not get it?" he raised his voice in exasperation. "You'd have to be part troll to not understand what I've been trying to get across."

"I don't have to deal with this, Malfoy," Jenn said calmly as she turned around and began to leave the alleyway.

"Wait," he said, lowering his voice again as he caught her wrist in his hand.

"What?" she asked dully, allowing him to gently spin her around to face him.

He stared down at her, his eyes searching her beautiful face as he tried to work the words together in his head. Draco knew he had to find the right words for her, or they'd mean nothing. After all these years, after treating her the way he had, he had to perfect it, or she'd never give it a chance.

"What are we doing, Malfoy?" Jenn asked with a heavy sigh. "Staring across rooms, glaring at my friend, tugging me into deserted places…what is it all about?"

"I thought I made it perfectly clear that I wanted you," Draco muttered beneath his breath.

"You had made it perfectly clear you hated me before that," Jenn countered.

"Things changed," he said simply.

"Why?" Jenn asked stupidly.

"I honestly don't know," he said sincerely. "I feel different, now."

"What do you feel?" she asked quietly, suddenly nervous to hear the answer.

Draco paused for a moment as he looked down at her. He was not a sentimental person. Never had he ever been a sappy, emotional kind of guy. He seldom spoke of his feelings, at least not his true ones, and when he did he's build a barrier around himself, forbidding anyone to come all the way inside. But as Jennelle Rivers stood before him, staring up at him with curious, accepting eyes, he wanted nothing more than to tell her every feeling he had ever felt. He longed to open his frostbitten heart to her and invite her inside to warm it back to life. He felt her eyes breaking through the walls he had built just by looking at him, but he couldn't let her all the way in.

"If this is some sort of joke, it isn't funny," she said, her temper rising.

"I'm not joking," he defended.

"Then what are you trying to say? What do you feel?" Jenn asked, clearly losing her patience.

"I feel weak to you. I feel like I have no control over anything involving you. It's like I put up this barricade and you just bound right through it. You came out of nowhere, these feelings came out of nowhere, and I don't know what to do about them," Draco rushed.

Jenn stared up at him, attempting to keep her jaw from hitting the floor. Draco Malfoy had feelings for her? Actual feelings? She watched him shift his weight from one foot to the other and he refused to look her in the eye. His hands had been tucked safely inside the front pockets of his black trousers and he kicked through the fluffy snow with the toe of his black shoe.

"All I know is that it is much less than pleasurable to see you on dates with such prats," he mumbled when she said nothing.

"It wasn't a date," Jenn argued. "And Jack isn't a prat."

Draco shrugged, deciding he had already said too much. He didn't dare to look at Jenn as she tried so desperately to catch his eye. She needed to see his eyes to see the truth. She would be damned if Draco Malfoy thought he could pull one over on her. She refused to be the butt of some twisted joke of his.

"How do I know you're being honest?" she asked plainly.

"You don't believe me?" he asked, bringing his eyes to hers.

"You aren't exactly known for your honesty and morality, Malfoy," she said fairly.

"I'm not known to share my feelings either, Rivers," he countered.

"I want you to mean it," she admitted softly as she blinked snowflakes from her eyelashes.

With no words left in him to say to her, Draco took two quick steps closer to her and closed the gap between them. Both of his hands cupped her face as his lips molded with hers. Jenn laid her palms against his strong chest, feeling his heartbeat pounding beneath her fingertips. This kiss was unlike any of the others they had shared, or even any others Jenn had experienced before. It wasn't hungry and lustful. This kiss was filled with passion and desire, desperation to be accepted.

Draco's large hands held her pink cheeks as he pulled away slowly. He leaned his forehead against hers, their noses brushing together ever so slightly, as he gazed down into her emerald eyes. He searched for some kind of response or reaction, an answer he desperately needed to hear. But she was quiet. Jenn's eyes danced between his and his lips as hers remained slightly parted and trembling. She felt her heart banging in her chest as if it were trying to put out the fire that had been set to it. Draco held his breath as she continued to stare up at him until she clutched the front of his sweater and pulled him towards her again. Draco's fingers knotted themselves in her long straight hair and Jenn let herself melt into him as their lips moved in perfect harmony.


End file.
